Japan - nuclear power station exploded

[va!n]

I think you heared it in the tv or internet news... Sadly after the extreme earthquake the nuclear power station exploded. I am really shocked about this and even that nobody knows what happens inside the atom station, because radioactive rods should be over 2000 degree celsius and could melt into the earth.

I remember when i was a child and when the warning come that in russia tschernobyl exploded and a lot of radioactivty set free. I hope that it does not ends in a total disaster like tschernobyl in 1985!

I am really no friend of atom energy! Politics and industry are telling us its clean and safe! Ohoh... Tschernobyl, Japan == are also safe? So what about the disposal sites like gorleben in germany? Its absolutly not safe! Why the hell humans are using such a riscant technology when they are not the master about it and when it can kill humans and complete towns/countries in worst case.

Now news on TV about japan, seems a radioactive cloud is available now and moved over to the sea. And in the news they are talking that it ranks the same amount of danger radioactivity like tchernobyl in 85 *i am really shocked*

[LittleWhite]

Humans always used technologies they didn't control totally. The main problem actually it's money. Sometimes, they didn't follow safety checks and measures just to win some more money (call as benefits).
Now ... as for tchernobyl ... some will say bullshits (like France did that the radioactivity clouds stops at the frontier) ... some will say we will secure more and so on...
This is really sad what happened in Japan, I agree ... but apart of this, I disagree about the fact saying the nuclear is not clean. It just depends on how you are saying this energy. It's not completely clean, but I think it's still better than using gas or carbon (hope it is called carbon (I have to play to SimCity in English :roll:)). It's an energy that has some advantages ... but that it is also still in development ... it means some progress as to be made ... but we also need to produce lot of energy ... for ... our beloved computers.

I have seen some documentaries on producing energy with water (sea / ocean) ... but this is also in progress.

So, to conclude:
- Hope all the best for Japan
- Hope the radioactivity will not have too much impact (... I have to say ... it's just a hope ... I know that it is a bit late)
- Hope we will change soon the energy sources to something really clean and efficient

[combatking0]

Sadly the best thing we (as a human society) can do after a nuclear disaster is damage limitation, for the environment, for wildlife, and for the surrounding human population.

Scientists should always look for newer, cleaner and safer sources of energy. 100 years ago we didn't know about nuclear power, so what sorts of things still remain to be discovered?
Sadly, research into these new sources of power is being stifled because of a lack of finance.

Wind, solar and wave power are in abundance, but can be unreliable, but the collection technology is improving in efficiency.

Nuclear power is marginally safer than it was in 1985, but it won't be completely safe until all of the nuclear reactors have been shut down and replaced by something safer.

[boogop]

The important thing here is: if the whole place goes blooey, the radioactive mess will reach to the eastern Colorado border and everybody will turn into zombies. Should I buy a shotgun now?

[Shockwave]

I was just watching a program about this and the brave people who are trying to clean it up.  Terrible tragedy that will probably get worse...

[combatking0]

The clean-up technology has come a long way since 1986, so things should be over with a bit faster and safer than with the Chernobyl disaster, but as with any nuclear disaster, it will be messy, and the danger will be invisible without the proper equipment.

It is likely that nearby farmland has been contaminated, along with the water-ways, which will render food production and drinking water in the area dangerous for decades to come.

The only ways I can think of helping the Japanese people without flying over there myself involve giving money to their charitable causes or buying more of their exports. Money itself doesn't fix problems, but I'm sure they would spend it on food and construction to start with.

[Kirl]

CK, what clean up tech are you reffering to?

I recently saw a documentary about tjernobyl (before the japan quake) and it seems nature is well on it's way to recovery. Forgot much of it, but the gist of it was that there were obviously permanant changes that took place because of the (still lingering) radiation, but overall nature adapted far more effectively then initially thought.


Here is an impressive photo series of someone who traveled through the dead zone on motorbike. It is quite old by now.

[va!n]

Let us pray for Japan that they get the disaster under control asap, before it ends in a super gau! I think money isnt so important and dont really help all this people atm! And i totally accept and like that people first try to get back in normal life instead thinking about the production of all the "electronic shit" like iPads, iPods, ports for Wii! What all this people really need very fast, is clean water, food and at least worldwide support to get rid of the earthquake and nuclear catastrophe! At least i think, most of this people can get some motivation back, when worldwide peoples on the net are posting their sympathy and support to look forward! I wish japans people and even the 50 guys trying to solve the reactor thing, really all my best wishes and i thumb up that they will manage it and can look soon into a better future without a to high radiation exposure!

[combatking0]

Detectors are now more sensitive, the radiation suits offer better protection, and it should now be possible to send in robots similar to those used in bomb disposal to investigate heavily contaminated areas to assess damage and to plan decontamination measures.

I'm not sure about the actual process of decontamination, but they've had 25 years to improve on that too, so somebody somewhere should have an idea.

[hellfire]

Tepco's safety website now feels like a bad joke...

[Shockwave]

Yeah, it certainly does.

The photo series that Kirl posted is worth reading too.  It was quite chilling to see the photos and desertation.