Thursday, March 31, 2011

I've Arrived

     Just to let all of you know. I have arrived safely. The flight, although long, wasn't that bad. I'm very tired from it nonetheless. I navigated the airport, both Terminal 1 and 2, and connected with another student from Carthage. From there, we managed to find the proper shuttle bus to our hotel, and the elusive internet connection. From here, I need a shower, a nap, and a meal (non airline food), and not in that order. I'll check in with more news from a Nerd in Japan, hopefully within the next day.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Fukushima isn't like Chernobyl, and Why.

     "Despite media hype about the radiation dangers, the Fukushima nuclear crisis won't end like Chernobyl," Alexander Sich tells The Diplomat.

     Is the kind of massive radiation release that occurred with Chernobyl possible at the Fukushima plant?


     "No, it can’t have that kind of massive release. It simply can’t do that. The question is to what extent the zirconium alloy, which clads the fuel pellets, is damaged in the core, and how much of the fuel has failed. And I don’t necessarily mean melted, I mean failed. There’s been an ambiguous use of the word ‘melting’ applied to the core. But when people talk about meltdown, they should be very specific about what they mean by the word."
     This is an excerpt from an aricle I found that showcases the degree in which the crisis in Japan is not all it is reported to be. Or, at the very least, how the comparisons made might not be appropriate. You can read the rest of the article yourself and learn why Fukushima isn't like Chernobyl.
     Hopefully this alleviates some fears the family might have about my travel arrangements.