Radiation. It's uh- mm. Energy. Heat, light, alpha particles, photons whatever. Radiation is energy traveling through space and permeating an object. Depending on what the source of the energy is it can either help or, well, turn you into a bubbling pile of crap.

I'd put my money on the Admiral pumping the bad stuff in but hey, what do I know? I'm only a uh, well not an expert. An enthusiast. Genius level enthusiast.