Science News, Articles and Information | Scientific American. Why You Should Be Worried About Japan’s Nuclear Reactors. For days now, scientists and science blogs tell us not to worry about Japan’s nuclear reactors. Nothing can happen; no radiation will be released, all is fine. We are treated to false experts even, to one-sided rants of somebody who studied risk management in corporations, published originally on a business friendly website. That piece of fluff was reposted all over the net, but the crucial claim -- that there was no chance radiation would be released -- has been conveniently cut. The forgetful masses with their short attention spans are given ever new versions, from “all under control” over “no radiation will be released” and “no significant levels will be released” to “what was released poses no danger at all” and “the danger it poses can be averted by breathing through wet towels”.
Right here on Science2.0, we had a contributor basically arguing that the Chernobyl incident 1986 is due to the Russians being stupid. Few science blogs had the guts to an independent opinion, e.g. Japanese Nuclear Crisis: TMI, Chernobyl, or In-between | Fred Bortz. My favorite chapter from my 1995 book Catastrophe! Great Engineering Failure–and Success is the one where I discuss two very different nuclear reactor accidents, Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. It is my favorite because of the way I ended it. That ending applies to the current situation at the reactors in Fukushima, Japan. …sometime in your lifetime, the question of nuclear power is likely to arise again. As I follow the unfolding story, I am struck by the different views being expressed by experts in the media.
This morning, the reporting on NPR’s Morning Edition was less sensational without understating the problem. The brave Japanese workers who are still in the plant will not be so lucky. Listening to the NPR report, it was also clear that a much greater problem may still lie ahead. Assuming the cooling is restored in time, and the people can return to their homes, the world will still be faced with the same difficult political choices I outlined in Catastrophe!. Science Blog.