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Thursday, March 17, 2011

Radiation in Tokyo Same as Eating 1.5 Bananas

A bit more on perspective. 

    First, here is a link to a map of a few dozen independent radiation monitoring stations. You can click to see the radiation measurements in real time.  

http://bit.ly/ep3BJN 


(For easier to understand info read this: )

    Second, back in school we talked about the "Banana Equivalent Dose."  You see, bananas contain a lot of potassium, and a certain amount of the Earth's potassium is slightly radioactive.  Eating a banana will expose you to about 0.1 microSv. Currently radiation levels in Tokyo are about the same exposure as eating 1.5 bananas. 



    I don't want to make light of the seriousness of the situation, but there is no radiation danger for those of us in Tokyo.

Tim
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4 comments:

  1. JTMarch 18, 2011 at 7:58 AM

    Is there radioactive caesium and strontium in bananas?

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousMarch 18, 2011 at 12:51 PM

    That's no ordinary banana!

    ReplyDelete
  3. nigeMarch 18, 2011 at 11:39 PM

    JT: there is naturally radioactive potassium-40 in bananas, which by anti-nuclear propaganda standards of half-life should be more scary than caesium and strontium!

    Natural potassium-40 has a half-life of 1,248,000,000 years, compared to only about 30 years for strontium and caesium!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mary O'ConnorMarch 19, 2011 at 3:55 AM

    Totally agree

    ReplyDelete

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