Recently, I linked you to a report on the World Health Organization's estimates of the long-term risk of cancer and cancer-related deaths among people who lived nearest to the Fukushima nuclear plant when it went into meltdown and the people who worked to get the plant under control and into a cold shutdown. The good news was that those risks seem to be lower than the general public might have guessed, partly because the Japanese government did a good job of quickly getting people away from the area and not allowing potentially contaminated milk and meat to be consumed. The bad news: That one aspect isn't the whole story on Fukushima's legacy or the government's competency. Although the plant is in cold shutdown today, it still needs to be fully decommissioned and the site and surrounding countryside are in desperate need of cleanup and decontamination. That task, unfortunately, is likely to be far more difficult than anybody thought, with initial estimates of a 40-year cleanup now described as "a pipe dream". One key problem: The government cut funding to research that could have produced the kind of robots needed for this work, because it assumed that nobody would ever need them.
Another look at Fukushima's legacy
- COMMENTS
- cleanup
- fukushima
- governments
- Japan
- nuclear
- radiation
- robots
- Science
"Make Polio Great Again?" NH Republicans push anti-vax bill
Anti-vax legislation by New Hampshire Republicans has cleared one house and appears headed for the governor's desk. Republican-controlled New Hampshire appears poised to become the first in the nation to… READ THE REST
Kagen Sound's incredibly intricate puzzle boxes
Kagen Sound is an award-winning woodworker and artist who makes remarkably detailed puzzle boxes out of wood. The puzzle boxes must be solved in order for the lid to be… READ THE REST
Goldene is a film of gold one atom thick
Goldene is a layer of gold a single atom thick. It doesn't look very … goldy?… but it's a major achievement of materials science. Shun Kashiwaya and others: The synthesis… READ THE REST
Save $169 on a lifetime license to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro and never look back
TL;DR: Revamp your digital world with this incredible lifetime license to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro, with its seamless interface and top-notch security, for only $29.97 (Reg. $199) until 11:59 PM on 1/07.… READ THE REST
Upgrade your tech for the new year with this refurbished iPad Pro, less than half price right now
TL;DR: Save over $350 on a refurbished Apple iPad Pro 10.5" 256GB, plus a free accessories bundle, with this sweet deal on sale for just $315.99 right now. Tech fans, it's time… READ THE REST
Make your rockstar dreams a reality for only $15.97 with this Guitar Lessons Training Bundle
TL;DR: The perfect last-minute holiday gift for an aspiring rocker, the 2024 Guitar Lessons Training Bundle is only $15.97 (Reg. $480) until 11:59 PM on 12/25. It's really never too late to make… READ THE REST