Meh, most of the byproducts that are found in the radioactive rain have a half life of a few weeks at most and have had sufficient time to disperse so the threat is minimal. Worst case result we get some super powers.
Because I read the news reports and some stuff on science blogs. The main isotopes found in rain water are radioactive Cesium 137 and Iodine 131 isotopes which have half lives of 30 years and about 8 days, respectively and the concentrations heavily favor I-137 over Cs-131 (meaning the more dangerous isotope is far less prevalent).
In any case the amounts found even in rain water in neighboring countries like Korea are so small that they pose no more significant threat to human health than nuclear tests did during the 60's. Crossing the Pacific ocean and then the entire continent means that most of that radioactivity is so small by the time it gets here that it's not significant enough to be a credible threat to human life. You'd probably get more radiation being at high altitude for a little bit.
If you want a more relevant analysis this is from Berkley's analysis:
"Unless you are the most irrational worrier in Berkeley, there’s nothing to be worried about. Although the measurements are in the standard Becquerels per liter, the Berkeley team helpfully translates the data into more understandable terms. For air quality, the unit they choose is the number of years of breathing the air that would be needed for a person to receive the radiation exposure of a single round trip flight from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. On Monday the worst result was for a radioactive isotope of iodine (I-131): it would take 858 years of breathing the amount measured in Berkeley to equal that plane flight. At the peak measurement, last Friday, it would have required 168 years to equal the flight exposure.
Water quality is equally unalarming. Again, I-131 has the worst result: on Monday’s data, you’d need to drink 1,734 liters of water to equal the radiation dose from a single round-trip flight to Washington, D.C, and back. At the peak measurement, last Friday, you’d need to drink 134 liters to equal the flight exposure."
There's reason to worry about radiation and there's a valid argument to be made about implementing appropriate safeguards to protect people from unmitigated nuclear disasters but there's also a point where worry about something becomes hysteria and where running around worried about this shit will probably do you more harm than the actual radiation.
"oh, dont worry, it would take 1000 years of breathing surface air to get the equivalent of what you'd get up there." Well, I'm really reassured now, our sky is a radioactive hell.
12 comments:
J'espere ne pas me Noah-er.
Il va mouiller en Gilgamesh.
Est-ce que je dois vraiment tout vous expliquer?! La pluie vient des nuages irradiés du Japon!!!
Il va mouiller des isotopes !!!
Ça va rester pendant des centaines d'années dans notre sol, dans notre eau.
I already feel the power growing inside me
or is that a cancer?
Meh, most of the byproducts that are found in the radioactive rain have a half life of a few weeks at most and have had sufficient time to disperse so the threat is minimal. Worst case result we get some super powers.
Says who?
Mr knowitall?
Oh, I'm sorry Mr Knowitall, I didnt know!
Because I read the news reports and some stuff on science blogs.
The main isotopes found in rain water are radioactive Cesium 137 and Iodine 131 isotopes which have half lives of 30 years and about 8 days, respectively and the concentrations heavily favor I-137 over Cs-131 (meaning the more dangerous isotope is far less prevalent).
In any case the amounts found even in rain water in neighboring countries like Korea are so small that they pose no more significant threat to human health than nuclear tests did during the 60's.
Crossing the Pacific ocean and then the entire continent means that most of that radioactivity is so small by the time it gets here that it's not significant enough to be a credible threat to human life. You'd probably get more radiation being at high altitude for a little bit.
If you want a more relevant analysis this is from Berkley's analysis:
"Unless you are the most irrational worrier in Berkeley, there’s nothing to be worried about. Although the measurements are in the standard Becquerels per liter, the Berkeley team helpfully translates the data into more understandable terms. For air quality, the unit they choose is the number of years of breathing the air that would be needed for a person to receive the radiation exposure of a single round trip flight from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. On Monday the worst result was for a radioactive isotope of iodine (I-131): it would take 858 years of breathing the amount measured in Berkeley to equal that plane flight. At the peak measurement, last Friday, it would have required 168 years to equal the flight exposure.
Water quality is equally unalarming. Again, I-131 has the worst result: on Monday’s data, you’d need to drink 1,734 liters of water to equal the radiation dose from a single round-trip flight to Washington, D.C, and back. At the peak measurement, last Friday, you’d need to drink 134 liters to equal the flight exposure."
There's reason to worry about radiation and there's a valid argument to be made about implementing appropriate safeguards to protect people from unmitigated nuclear disasters but there's also a point where worry about something becomes hysteria and where running around worried about this shit will probably do you more harm than the actual radiation.
How bad is that plane flight though?
Are you taking Mutant Air to get to Seattle?
I took the plane to Seattle and I was never the same.
"oh, dont worry, it would take 1000 years of breathing surface air to get the equivalent of what you'd get up there." Well, I'm really reassured now, our sky is a radioactive hell.
we do get bombarded by radiation on a daily basis.
Ever notice that big glowing thing in the sky? What do you think it does?
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