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Fukushima Radiation Nears California Coast, Judged Harmless

Posted by timothy on from the dispersion-is-awesome dept.

sciencehabit writes After a two-and-a-half year ocean journey, radioactive contamination from the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan has drifted to within 160 kilometers of the California coast, according to a new study. But the radiation levels are minuscule and do not pose a threat, researchers say. The team found a high of just 8 becquerels of radiation per cubic meter in ocean samples off the coast. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for drinking water allow up to 7400 becquerels per cubic meter.

8 of 114 comments (clear)

  1. A little radiation between friends by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Uh, we had a slight malfunction, but uh... everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all fine here now, thank you. How are you?

    1. Re:A little radiation between friends by GameboyRMH · · Score: 4, Funny

      We're sending a squad up.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    2. Re:A little radiation between friends by MrKaos · · Score: 4, Funny

      What ninnie moderated this DOWN?

      Come on, it's a QUOTE from Star Wars for heaven's sake, and if you think about it in context this is FUNNY.

      Boring conversation anyway.

      --
      My ism, it's full of beliefs.
  2. Re:8 disintegrations/sec per cubic meter. Nothing. by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    What is more interesting is our technological capability to detect such minute concentrations of just about anything.

  3. bananas by ssam · · Score: 4, Informative

    So 2 tonnes of water has the same amount of radiation as 1 banana.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    1. Re:bananas by slashmydots · · Score: 4, Funny

      And God help you if you cook that banana over charcoal.

  4. Some context by Solandri · · Score: 4, Informative

    The team found a high of just 8 becquerels of radiation per cubic meter in ocean samples off the coast.

    A becquerel is the radioactive decay of a single atom per second. Your body has 4400 becquerels of radiation due to a naturally-occurring radioactive isotope of Potassium. If you drank a liter of seawater that would mean Fukushima has increased your radiation dose by 0.008 becquerel - less than a 0.0002% increase in radiation internally in your body. This is literally less than a drop in a bucket. The salt is far more likely to kill you than the radiation.

  5. In related news ... by PPH · · Score: 4, Funny

    ... authorities are keeping a watch for big lizards approaching the coastline.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.