Comment Re:Meltdown? (Score 1) 691
Nobody really bothers with reporting good news (great news, yes, good news doesn't sell). Bad news of any kind loves to spin. If the radiation levels vary significantly over even the next week (this must include going down) then there are no dangerous radioactive materials involved - such things have significantly higher half lives than seconds, minutes, or hours... even days.
Despite the explosions, this "disaster" is still officially at least 1 level lower than TMI ever was, and that was more bark than bite. No meltdown. Some heavy-ish elements in the reactor may be somewhat dangerous to get close to for a while, and if they escape they will be of mild concern because they can't sustain a reaction like you get in a nuclear reactor, whether it be for power (Uranium/Plutonium and other scary stuff) or medicine (not so scary, but still troublesome to carry lumps in your pocket). The half-life of those materials within the reactor will be what determines the time it takes from the control rods being inserted to the reactor going cold (and yes there will be significant residual radiation inside the reactor in normal circumstances). Current temperatures within the reactor simply won't be high enough to vaporize much that could be a threat. It's just better for you not to inhale the stuff that is out there, just as it's better for you not to inhale cigarette smoke.