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Originally posted by Gorman91
Nuclear bombs are nothing compared to nuclear reactors. Nuclear bombs are practically cell phone radiation compared to reactors. This is because one is a direct release of energy, the other is slow.
Originally posted by Gorman91
that's not really accurate at all. 2 nuclear bombs aren't going to poison the Earth. 40,000 will destroy all life and prevent any future life for thousands of years.
But while wildlife seems to be proliferating in the Chernobyl exclusion zone, not everyone is convinced that these plants and animals are healthy.
Moller and Mousseau have shown that certain species in the area have a higher rate of genetic abnormalities than normal.
"We find an elevated frequency of partial albinism in barn swallows, meaning they have tufts of white feathers," Mousseau said.
"In Italy around 40 percent of the barn swallows return each year, whereas the annual survival rate is 15 percent or less for Chernobyl," Mousseau said.
The scientists are also concerned that the mutated birds will pass on their abnormal genes to the global population.
"In the worst case scenario these genetic mutations will spread out, and the species as a whole may experience enhanced levels of mutation," Mousseau said.
Mutation isn't the only adverse effect of the radiation. Working in the Red Forest area, James Morris, a USC biologist, has observed some trees with very strange twisted shapes.
The radiation, he says, is confusing the hormone signal that the trees use to determine which direction to grow.
"These trees are having a terrible time knowing which way is up," Morris said.
But Mousseau is less optimistic. "One of the great ironies of this particular tragedy is that many animals are doing considerably better than when the humans were there," he said.
"But it would be a mistake to conclude they are doing better than in a control area. We just don't know what is normal [for Chernobyl]. There just haven't been enough scientific studies done."
Originally posted by Gorman91
reply to post by bjarneorn
I imagine that at Chernobyl, most of the stuff has seeped down into bedrock by now. You still do have cancer rates, and you still do have dead trees and pockets of radiation where things die.
If someone wants to call their bluff, by all means. They'll be first to scientifically prove the affects.
Also, Chernobyl is entombed. It's not putting out any new radiation any time soon.edit on 31-8-2011 by Gorman91 because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by zorgon
Yeah me too... And the second set of videos, those scientists going in with nothing but a cloth mask and plastic sheet with scotch tape...
Chernobyl Were Did the Nuclear Fuel Go?
The 'Elephants foot', a massive nuclear fuel and sand mass
The 'Elephants foot' showing where it melted through the floor
Drilling into the chamber below the reactor and sending in a camera to search for the fuel
Nuclear Lava
Nuclear Lava