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03-24-2011, 04:37 PM
Risk expert: Why radiation fears are often exaggerated
24 March 2011 by Alison George Fear of radiation from Japan's stricken nuclear power plant must not blind us to the risks attached to the alternatives, says David Spiegelhalter What is it about nuclear energy that makes people particularly fearful? There has been a lot of research on this. Nuclear radiation ticks all the boxes for increasing the fear factor. It is invisible, an unknowable quantity. People don't feel in control of it, and they don't understand it. They feel it is imposed upon them and that it is unnatural. It has the dread quality of causing cancer and birth defects. Nuclear power has been staggeringly safe, but that doesn't stop people being anxious about it, just as airplanes and trains are an amazingly safe way to travel but people still worry far more about plane crashes than car crashes. People are calling the release of radiation from the Fukushima nuclear power station in Japan a "catastrophe". Is this justified? This is indeed a really serious event, but it has to be put in the context of the earthquake and tsunami which led to it - and which has been the direct cause of massive suffering, which is still continuing. Obviously there are threats from the nuclear power station, but they are limited and they are quantifiable. It's not a Chernobyl. Though the 1986 explosion at Chernobyl was a terrible event for many people, the lasting effects were nothing like as bad as expected. Many governments are suspending their nuclear power projects in response to the events in Japan. Is it sensible to make these decisions in the aftermath of a disaster? This is a tricky one. The Fukushima power station was hit by an unimaginable force. One is always surprised by these events, but one of the things you learn when you study risk is that surprising things happen. We have to expect the unexpected. Of course, political decisions are made on the basis of how people feel. That's a politician's job perhaps, not just to respond to objective measurements of risk but to what people want. But it's good to try and keep a perspective on what the risks are for all viable alternatives, including the risk of relying on unsavoury regimes for our sources of energy. Does this mean that fear itself is part of the problem? One of the biggest risks from radiation is the psychological damage it causes. After events like the 1979 partial meltdown at Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania, and the Chernobyl accident, there was substantial psychological trauma, even among people who were not affected, because there is such a fear of radiation and its long-term consequences. Would you be happy to live next to a nuclear power station? I have been trying to think how I would feel if I were in Japan right now. Would I be rushing out of Tokyo or not? I would love to say that I would be a plucky Brit and sit there with my stiff upper lip. But it is very difficult to know how you would react, especially as people respond to the feelings of those around them. But yes, I would be happy to live next to a nuclear power station, if only they weren't such big ugly things. Risk expert: Why radiation fears are often exaggerated - opinion - 24 March 2011 - New Scientist |
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03-24-2011, 06:26 PM
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 .. its my opinion that people should save themselfes because nobody cares ... i think this was a big mistake ... earth quake and tsunami was horrible .. but i fear the nuclear accident will be a new dimension of horror and cruel ... my opinion is that the responsible person there make a big mistake, of course they should try to save the nuclear parc but at the other side they should have done mass evacuation ... its such a pitty, because they have had so much time to do this ... more than i thought .. hope some people could read this here and make the decision to escape ... and the rest here, you are not there, so its easy to see this cool .. i am very sad about the poor people there and today we saw on tv that people have no real information about, thats the reason why they do not react ... i think a lot of people are sitting there wainting for help and donnot really know what is happening because they donnot get information .. and therefore this is not fair because they cannot make their own decision without knowing the facts .. a lot of people would make another decision if they have ... but they are only told that everything is o.k. ... i am a very critically person, therefore i would never believe if s.b. tells me everything would be o.k. .. but the japanese are often very friendly and kind person which do what they are told to do ... thats really a pitty ...  .. and i really have no problem if you have another opinion, this is your right .. but its my right to have mine ... and over this, you must not read or write here in my thread if you donnot like it, just go away to another or make your own ... i will not change my opinion ... and i will not stop writing here as far as i like to do this .. your reaction on me shows me that you are a not very much developed people .. otherwise you would accept another opinion ... you try to track me but you have no problem with me, you have a problem with your own ... for this, solve your own problems by yourself, not over me .. i have no problem and your action donot impress me ... Quote:
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03-24-2011, 06:54 PM
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You are no reading any of these and not answering any question. Just answer two questions. Aside from pure fear, what is your quantification for making such drastic measure? And where should people move to? |
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03-24-2011, 06:58 PM
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03-24-2011, 07:04 PM
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But if you look at sites and news from Taiwan, US, Canada, China and most importantly Japan, they are reporting problems and they are reporting issues with the plant, but its under control. The current concentration for most news agencies with the mentioned countries are all all surrounding either Libya or they own local affairs. People are not jumping up and down over Fukushima because they don't see the value of it now that the situation is under control (Sadly, yes, mass media are happy over disaster) If its as bad as what you saw, I am sure everyone will be all over it, especially the US, they have troops working there right now helping you know I just saw a picture of US military cleaning the flight deck of their carrier, trying to get rid of any radiation that it maybe exposed to. That said, the troops are wearing standard military uniform, no mask, just cloth wrapped around their face. The fact that they are cleaning the deck means they are aware of the radiation level there, but the fact that they are only cleaning it and not getting away form it means that its not high risk. Not to mention the troops are not wearing protective gear, and that cloth around the face is probably meant to fight against whatever chemical is used in the cleaning solvent. A |
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03-24-2011, 07:09 PM
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03-24-2011, 07:12 PM
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Fukushima is in a far more different situation, its not a complete meltdown, they are doing whatever it takes to contain the issue, and it appears to be working and stabilize So, quantify why 500KM... |
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03-24-2011, 07:19 PM
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03-24-2011, 07:20 PM
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SugerZoo tribute song for the people of Japan -
03-24-2011, 07:22 PM
Our brand new song, dedicated to the courageous people of Japan.
  YouTube - "Doshiyo" (What shall I do?) SUGERZOO, tribute to the people of Japan |
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