Posts Tagged ‘fukushima’

While Labour Burns Bright…

Written By: - Date published: 3:20 pm, November 3rd, 2013 - 47 comments

While some hold that the Labour Party conference being held this weekend could mark a watershed in NZ politics, something else that might constitute a somewhat more marked watershed is happening across the Pacific.

Intervention. Now!

Written By: - Date published: 3:13 pm, September 3rd, 2013 - 24 comments

Widespread and ongoing poisoning of civilians demands decisive and immediate international action, so…

Fukushima

Written By: - Date published: 2:37 pm, August 24th, 2013 - 103 comments

Meanwhile back in the real world, the nuclear disaster at Fukushima is creeping back in to the headlines, for all the wrong reasons.

Meltdown at Fukushima

Written By: - Date published: 8:39 am, March 31st, 2011 - 35 comments

Efforts to cool the nuclear fuel rods in Fukushima’s No 2 reactor have failed. The rods have become molten and it appears some have melted through the steel reactor core into a concrete layer. Two dangers now arise: radioactive chemicals created by the concrete reacting with the nuclear fuel and the nuclear fuel pooling enough to go critical.

Fukushima radiation skyrockets

Written By: - Date published: 11:16 pm, March 27th, 2011 - 46 comments

Normally, we get 3.65 millisieverts of radiation a year. Increased cancer risk is associated with 100 millisieverts per year. Nuclear workers are only meant to get 100 millisieverts even in an emergency with protective clothing. Today, water in No 2 reactor was detected emitting 1 sievert per hour – and they’re not sure of the source.

Germany abandons nuclear power

Written By: - Date published: 7:22 am, March 25th, 2011 - 31 comments

The world will gradually be forced to abandon fossil fuels.  Fukushima (and Chernobyl, and Three Mile Island) show us that we can’t trust nuclear power.  It has to be green, renewable energy sources.  Can’t be done?  Germany thinks it can.

Fukushima crisis deepens

Written By: - Date published: 10:46 am, March 17th, 2011 - 48 comments

In American football, there’s a move called the ‘Hail Mary pass’ – throw the ball down field and pray. That’s what filling the Fukushima reactors with sea-water has been described as, a Hail Mary pass. It just doesn’t seem to be coming off. Reactor 3 has started emitting more radiation, 4 is on fire, the core may be breached in 2. Even 5 and 6 pose a risk.