Yet another article that fails to give any context.

Nuclear energy is, empirically, the safest energy source we have. http://nextbigfuture.com/2011/03/deaths-per-twh-by-energy-source.html
This is based on data from authoritative bodies, such as the World Health Organisation and the European Commission's ExternE.

And jimbonic, no nuclear energy advocate has ever said risks don't exist that I'm aware of - that is a blatant lie from you. What is almost always argued by nuclear proponents is that the risks of nuclear energy are comparatively small, and the benefits are large. This is *nothing like* the tobacco situation of the 1980s, where the data showed, overwhelmingly, that smoking was producing high mortality rates. Nuclear energy has the lowest mortality rates of any energy source - the data overwhelmingly support this.

Ben,

Even considering Chernobyl, nuclear energy has the lowest fatality rate of any energy source and half the fatalities /MWhr of the nearest which is wind power. Secondly to put this in perspective, the Tsunami that caused this disaster killed nearly 30 000 people and laid waste to 1000's of square kilometres of farmland.

Given the complete failure of renewable (green) energy systems to provide reliable power, the choice is fossil fuels or nuclear.

@Shadow Minister, in round terms, yep I agree entirely.

However IMHO moving straight to this argument is to somehow give credence to the thrust of this article. I think that is a mistake. I would much rather actually critique the article to show, once again, that the specific anti-nuclear argument is lacking in substance. I rather feel my first comment has done this; I suspect the only reason they are "finding" all these small nodules is because suddenly they are looking for them, when we have never bothered before. It's precautionary; good idea in other words given the event. But making massive epidemiological leaps like this article seems happy to dog whistle is stupid and irresponsible.

So we're back to 0.5 per cent with, I assume, potential for thyroid cancer which makes a lot more sense.. tnks Ben Heard.

Actually part of teh fun of this site is that they print opinions from almost any loonie.. We learn about the wild stories making the rounds, and the responses. Helps in dealing with soem of my wilder colleagues..

Absolutely, Curmudgeon.

>>Actually part of teh fun of this site is that they print opinions from almost any loonie.. We learn about the wild stories making the rounds, and the responses<<

It is a vital and valuable service. Every so often out in the physical world, I find myself in the company of a wild-eyed conspiracy theorist, or a wild-haired Greenie, predicting that doom and catastrophe is just around the next corner. Having prepared myself with a daily dose of OLO, I find it much easier to reduce such folk to a smouldering heap of tired clichés and ridiculous self-contradictions.

I have noticed, though, that these folk appear able to procreate, albeit largely only with their own kind. So the problem will always be with us. But as long as we are able to remain in a state of readiness, all is not yet lost.

Peter Lang and his ilk just shoot their mouths off with no substance to back it.Fukushima has been an enormous cover up.The indirect death toll from Chernobyl is said to be a million.Fukushima is worse.It will take decades to realise the health fallout in terms of disease and genetic deformity.

Since the nuclear era began,cancer and other genetic abnormalities have accelerated while heart disease has fallen.

http://fairewinds.com Click on Fukushima Updates. Prof Arnie Gunderson has been in the nuke industry for over 40 yrs.He decommissions nuke reactors.He notes that it is not the background radiation that is of major concern.It is the almost undetectable hot particles such as Caesium,Uranium,iodine etc that mimic compounds in our bodies which emit low doses of radiation while embedded in our bodies.They are the killers of real concern.

Arnie personally went to Tokoyo which is 250 km from Fukushima and took 5 random soil samples.All were way above accepted radiation levels in the USA.Japan has just increased the acceptable doses to stop the panic and protect the Corporate Criminals.