Japanese Catastrophies

[Coug00]

Re: Japanese Catastrophies

The radiation could hit the US if the winds are strong enough at the time, which they normally are this time of year. California gets pollution from China and March-May is the peak time for that.

The radiation leaked will not hit the US West Coast. In a worst case scenario, the radioactivity (I work in the field of nuclear cleanup and we call it contamination) might. It may sound like splitting hairs, but there's a huge difference between radiation and radioactivity. Radiation is the energy, radioactivity is the contaminated material that has absorbed the radiation.

Even if radioactivity were released in the environment, because of the type of radiation it is, it would have gone through so many half-lifes that it would be inconsequential to human health in the US.

The US population has already been submitted to radiation exposure much worse than this during the Cold War. Hanford, Savannah River, Rocky Flatts, Oak Ridge, etc have all had accidents or tests run that exposed people to radiation levels thousands of times worse than the Three Mile Island accident and what we'd (US) encounter from the worst case scenario in Japan.

[SPTO]

Re: Japanese Catastrophies

That Is actually my favorite news source, wish I got their news channel though

Their news channel isn't the greatest in the world but it's really good when there's a UK election or a very important election in the European continent. I actually watched some of the French elections when Sarkozy was elected.

[Chrisksaint]

Re: Japanese Catastrophies

Yeah that's what I was thinking if anything was to effect the US it would prolly be less then getting x-rays or something

[Cusefan]

Re: Japanese Catastrophies

Here is something a bit creepy and actually lends a bit of credence to the 2012 Apocolypse theory, here is a lady who correctly predicted this earthquake:

<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/95zMdTvoqcQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

coincindence?

[ImTellinTim]

Re: Japanese Catastrophies

You can throw a bunch of **** at the wall until it sticks. How many times has there been dates put on a major earthquake in Missouri?

[Gotmadskillzson]

Re: Japanese Catastrophies

Bill Nye the science guy is still alive........

They had him on MSNBC talking about the nuclear situation in Japan.

[Cusefan]

Re: Japanese Catastrophies

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapc...ex.html?hpt=T1

Tokyo (CNN) -- Spent fuel rods in Unit 4 of Japan's stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant have been exposed, resulting in the emission of "extremely high" levels of radiation, the head of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Wednesday.

"What we believe at this time is that there has been a hydrogen explosion in this unit due to an uncovering of the fuel in the fuel pool," Gregory Jaczko told a House energy and commerce subcommittee hearing. "We believe that secondary containment has been destroyed and there is no water in the spent fuel pool, and we believe that radiation levels are extremely high, which could possibly impact the ability to take corrective measures."

The water served to both cool the uranium fuel and shield it. But once the uranium fuel was no longer covered by water, its zirconium cladding that encases the fuel rods heated, generating hydrogen, said Robert Alvarez, senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies and a former official with the Department of Energy.

That caught fire, resulting in a situation that is "very, very serious," he told CNN. He said the next solution may involve nuclear plant workers having to take heroic acts. Asked to be more specific, he said, "This is a situation where people may be called in to sacrifice their lives. ... It's very difficult for me to contemplate that but it's, it may have reached that point."

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapc...ex.html?hpt=T1

[areobee401]

Re: Japanese Catastrophies

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/dog-in-japan-stays-by-the-side-of-its-ailing-friend-in-the-rubble

Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the english translation. As a pet owner this video was both touching and sad/hard to watch.

[Darkleaf]

Re: Japanese Catastrophies

People need to stand up and demand responsible journalism, this is a disgrace.

[WyxHarmon]

Re: Japanese Catastrophies

The scariest part of this is no one truly knows whats going on. People smart enough to ask the right questions aren't getting any straight answers. I saw scientists arguing this morning.

One of my friends dads is a radio-biologist and he is scared to death. He believes they're underestimating the effects of a meltdown. by a lot. The fact that this can't be anothe Chernobyl isn't right. He says the containment chamber that Chernobyl didn't and Fukushima Daichii has is mental only. Offers no protection during a meltdown.

[BurghFan]

Re: Japanese Catastrophies

Pretty much, yes. Of course, getting an x-ray is all dependent because radiation affects different parts of your body in different ways. There are three "main" types of radiation out there. Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. (Neutrons, neutrinos, positrons, etc. etc. also exist, but let's not get into a nuclear physics course here). Alpha particles are helium nuclei. They are large, slow moving, and have very little energy. It is 100% impossible for them to affect you externally since the dead skin cells that make up the exposed layer of skin on your body stop them completely. Since those skin cells are dead, they aren't reproducing so they can not cause those dead cells to become cancerous. A foot or so of normal air will stop alpha particles.

Beta particles are electrons emitted from a nucleus when a neutron decomposes into an electron and a proton. They have more penetrating power than an alpha particle and can affect cells beyond the layer of dead skin on your outside. A sheet of paper can typically stop a beta particle. The problem with a beta particle, however, is that when they are stopped by hitting something they can emit Bremsstrahlung radiation which is a German term for "braking radiation". It's x-rays emitted when the electron goes from the insanely fast speed it's travelling as a beta particle into the normal motion speed of an electron. This is why beta-emitters are typically shielded with low density materials.

Gamma rays are basically pure energy that is equivalent to x-rays, though they are typically more powerful. This is what lead is used to stop as it can penetrate your body and is typically what causes the most damage. Typically, when an atom decays via alpha particles it also emits gamma rays.

Of course, where the radiation hits you is most important. Radiation that strikes you in cells that are constantly reproducing such as bone marrow, your lungs, and your internal organs, is the most damaging. Alpha particles are harmless externally, but internally they are the most damaging. Radiation exposure to your hands and feet, for instance, is pretty much harmless since there aren't a lot of reproducing cells there. Radiation exposure to your chest and your reproductive organs, however, is far more dangerous since there are a LOT more reproducing cells there in which the DNA damage can result in cancer formation.

If ANY radiation does find its way over to the US, the amount that any human would receive would be less than a cross-country airplane trip. (On a cross-country or transcontinental flight, you are exposed to a great deal of cosmic radiation since you are flying high above the ground where not as much atmosphere is there to protect you. This is why pregnant women are told to not fly cross-country or transcontinental).

Last year, I got a great deal of radiation exposure due to the fact that I had so many x-rays done on my broken bones, the arthrogram on my wrist (a procedure where a real-time video of your body is taken via x-rays), a few cross-country and transcontinental flights, and a chest x-ray done when I came down with pneumonia. Add onto that the fact that I have samples of pure thorium and uranium metal as a part of my element collection, and I was exposed to a great deal of radiation.

Here in the US, there is nothing to worry about with regards to the issues in Japan.

Great post. I'm just wondering how you can acquire samples of radio-isotopes in this day and age. Doesn't seem like something they'd just let any average Joe by for some element collection.

The scariest part of this is no one truly knows whats going on. People smart enough to ask the right questions aren't getting any straight answers. I saw scientists arguing this morning.

One of my friends dads is a radio-biologist and he is scared to death. He believes they're underestimating the effects of a meltdown. by a lot. The fact that this can't be anothe Chernobyl isn't right. He says the containment chamber that Chernobyl didn't and Fukushima Daichii has is mental only. Offers no protection during a meltdown.

Well, I had to look up radiobiology. In a nutshell for those who don't know what it is, It's essentially the study of the effects of different types of radiation on biological systems. Considering his profession, I would imagine your friend's dad has a greater understanding of the dangers than the rest of us but still not as much as a nuclear physicist. My philosophy is not to worry about things I can't fully understand and as such cannot control. There are highly trained experts assessing the situation and they'll let us know what if any dangers it poses to us here in the states. And like others have said, the media tends to sensationalize things and make things into more of a big deal than they really are (which is not to say this situation isn't a big deal because it is). What I am saying is that I'm not going to worry about being exposed to radiation leaking from this plant unless an expert in the field gets on TV and tells me to worry about it.

[Munkey]

Re: Japanese Catastrophies

<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/J3TM9GL2iLI?rel=0" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" width="640"></iframe>

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theloo...-in-the-rubble

The video is a stark reminder that, as was the case when Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast in 2005, there will likely be thousands of pets orphaned or involuntarily abandoned due to the catastrophe in Japan. If you'd like to help efforts to help these animals, you can find info on doing so here.

UPDATE: CNN and the UK Telegraph have both reported that the dogs have been rescued since the footage aired, and are both receiving veterinary care; the more seriously wounded dog is at a clinic in the city of Mito, while the protective spaniel-type dog is receiving care at a shelter in the same town.

Here is an English translation of the voiceover exchange between the two reporters in the clip (translation courtesy of Toshiyuki Kitamura):

We are in Arahama area. Looks like there is a dog. There is a dog. He looks tired and dirty. He must have been caught in the tsunami. He looks very dirty.

He has a collar. He must be someone's pet. He has a silver collar. He is shaking. He seems very afraid.

Oh, there is another dog. I wonder if he is dead.

Where?

Right there. There is another dog right next to the one sitting down. He is not moving. I wonder. I wonder if he is alright.

The dog is protecting him.

Yes. He is protecting the dog. That is why he did not want us to approach them. He was trying to keep us at bay.

I can't watch this. This is a very difficult to watch.

Oh. Look. He is moving. He is alive. I am so happy to see that he is alive.

Yes! Yes! He is alive.

He looks to be weakened. We need to them to be rescued soon. We really want them rescued soon.

Oh good. He's getting up.

It is amazing how they survived the tremendous earthquake and tsunami. It's just amazing that they survived through this all.

[av7]

Re: Japanese Catastrophies

<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/J3TM9GL2iLI?rel=0" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" width="640"></iframe>

Thats why I trust and love my dogs more than most humans.

[elicoleman]

Re: Japanese Catastrophies

Seeing that video breaks my heart but also shows how incredible dogs.

[Jasong7777]

Re: Japanese Catastrophies

I've been watching the news, but I lot of this stuff is over my head. I don't know what the hell is going on.