Fukushima Actually "Much Worse" Than So Far Disclosed, Say Experts 274
PuceBaboon writes "The BBC is reporting that experts are casting doubt on the veracity of statements from both the Tokyo Electric Power Company and the Japanese government regarding the seriousness of the problems at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Not only are the constant leaks releasing radioactivity into the ocean (and thus into the food chain), but now there are also worries that the spent fuel rod storage pools may be even more unstable than first thought. An external consultant warns, 'The Japanese have a problem asking for help. It is a big mistake; they badly need it.'"
Multiply any radiation claims by 10x (Score:5, Interesting)
"expert" is a kook (Score:5, Interesting)
Mycle Schneider only has honorary, not the actual education, and has been a WISE(an anti-nuclear group) activist in France for 30+ years. He is the person who gets consult jobs from the government when they want to appear as showing both sides.
Two versions of his Wikipedia page:
http://i.imgur.com/y2dxdFo.png
http://i.imgur.com/XUS0duU.png
Re:Multiply any radiation claims by 10x (Score:2, Interesting)
the normal rate would be one child with thyroid cancer in 300,000. not 2-3 as you say. it says "The incidence rate of thyroid cancer in children is said to be one in hundreds of thousands".
the thyroid cancer rate is therefore 43x normal. given that they underestimate and underdetect, the cautious factor is 100x not 10x.
Re:Multiply any radiation claims by 10x (Score:3, Interesting)
How many children would die if there was no power?
How many children would have died from coal burning related illnesses?
How many children would not have been born because their parents died due to either of the above?
Re:Rule of thumb (Score:3, Interesting)
In practice, we as a species don't seem to be able to create and sustain the requisite human and material support structures for truly safe nuclear power.
It has nothing to do with the species. I am perfectly capable of creating and sustaining a safe nuclear power station. There are others out there like me. We can (and will) get together and form our own nation which does this effectively and safely. Others will go extinct. When fire was invented, I guarantee only 20-30% of hominins back then had what it took (mentally, genetically) to safely use fire. I bet after the first few tribes burned themselves and their whole forest to the ground there were people like you who threw their hands up in the air and exclaimed that hominins would never be able to safely use this mysterious force. Those people went extinct.
Re:Histrionics. Again. (Score:3, Interesting)