Earthquake in Japan....9.0...ouch!

[Rroff]

The answer to this question might have already been said elsewhere on this forum or the previous 38 pages of this post, and I haven't seen the news today but how bad is the power plant situation? Is it stable now but could blow at any moment?

And if it did blow up, what would happen? millions of people die?

And does radiation travel in the wind round the world and could kill us here in UK?

Also compared to a nuclear bomb going off, how bad is a power plant is comparison if it was to totally blow up and release all that energy?

An explosion fueled by a nuclear reaction is unlikely and unlike a bomb its not using weaponised fuel, etc. so much less powerful the real issue is the heavy metal pollution that would be ejected into the atmosphere. Worse case scenario people within 30km or so would get rather nasty dosage of various toxins and a lot of long term health issues for those living within 100miles or so, the rest depends on wind patterns, the height material is ejected too etc. but very very unlikely to spread as far as the UK in any significant quantities.


EDIT: From the information I have the chance of a major event is fairly low, there is a vulnerability to another large magnitude localised quake causing further problems at one of the reactors but the rest and the most likely outcome for all of them is nothing beyond low to moderate localised pollution.

 

[Amp34]

Apologies, not necesarily (sp) directing this at you, but this it to anyone in general who is in the know on such topics.

The fact that Japan has moved... does this mean that a) the Japanese land is just getting closer to say Korea/Russia? or b) the Earth itself has now got 7ft wider? (if that makes sense).

A, not sure which direction its moved though, probably on a North South axis rather than East West though.

 

[badcompany]

No matter how many images you see they still make you go

 

[VaderDSL]

I can't get over the pics of that small city which has been washed away. Did you see the debris up to the 4th storey!

I can't get over how big that wave must have been, those people in the hospital must have all sorts of emotions. Having survived but seeing the devastation

 

[badcompany]

TEPCO says it has started preparations for releasing pressure from Fukushima Daiichi No. 3 reactor after cooling failed
by Aviva West at 10:37 PM

taken from

http://live.reuters.com/Event/Japan_earthquake2


Pretty scary as it so close to the other already damaged reactor I wouldn't like to be going anywhere near that!

 

[mlbtheshow]

Call me stupid, but what size truck is going to tow that boat back out to sea!

 

[badcompany]

Call me stupid, but what size truck is going to tow that boat back out to sea!

I would imagine it will be cut up surely?

 

[badcompany]

WOW !

 

[mlbtheshow]

I would imagine it will be cut up surely?

True, but still its an interesting thought.

 

[xtremedetailz]

True, but still its an interesting thought.

Nothing an old landrover defender couldnt sort out


On a serious note i feel for the familys of lost relatives in Japan in this horific ordeal.

 

[SkScotchegg]

Is it the fact that most countries get their electricity from nuclear power and we just use petrol for cars?

So like England for example, do we just use nuclear power for all electric in homes and buildings and only thing we use fossil fuels for is for our cars?

Because if that's the case, I guess the goal in the future is just the transition from petrol fuelled cars to electric cars, and I think electric cars would be better for environment obviously, and I wouldn't mind driving electric car.

Is nuclear power clean energy? as long as there's not a leak? like is it meant to be clean, as long as it works?

 

[Fuzz]

Live quake map here > http://mapserver.gis.ttu.edu/japanquake/

Well, aftershock map now..

 

[4p]

Is it the fact that most countries get their electricity from nuclear power and we just use petrol for cars?

So like England for example, do we just use nuclear power for all electric in homes and buildings and only thing we use fossil fuels for is for our cars?

Because if that's the case, I guess the goal in the future is just the transition from petrol fuelled cars to electric cars, and I think electric cars would be better for environment obviously, and I wouldn't mind driving electric car.

Is nuclear power clean energy? as long as there's not a leak? like is it meant to be clean, as long as it works?

Shed load of radioactive waste.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olkiluoto

This is how deep the Finnish are burying it

 

[Macky]

Yeah there is waste. Not to sway this totally off topic but nuclear is the only way I can see us powering ourselves for the foreseeable future. Wind just won't cut it..

 

[ojrules]

REUTERS--

CNN is reporting a meltdown may be underway

 

[Fuzz]

Via Twitter...

Zoeytrope Zoey P.
The Fukushima reactor, according to Twitter, is exploding, melting down, under control, and totally fine. Simultaneously. #informationage

 

[SkScotchegg]

I thought there's loads of new clean ways to do it? like those machines they can put in the ocean for wave power? and also I saw a documentary on BBC iplayer where they were making so sort of new power plant that was going to create a star inside it or sommat? you'd know what I mean if you saw it? but sure they said that wont be ready until 2050....also what about thermal energy?

Theres others but I cant remember? solar power...am sure theres about 20 clean energy sauces we can use...

Also I still have faith in cold fusion! I have the documentary, I watch it all the time.

 

[4p]

Try and understand how much energy our race uses, on a daily basis. Then try and factor in those renewable sources of energy.

It's more cost effective to build a nuclear power plant and reap masses amount of energy from it than to build expensive wind mills in the sea and get very little energy.

It's all about the money, nobody carers about the planet.

 

[Macky]

I thought there's loads of new clean ways to do it? like those machines they can put in the ocean for wave power? and also I saw a documentary on BBC iplayer where they were making so sort of new power plant that was going to create a star inside it or sommat? you'd know what I mean if you saw it? but sure they said that wont be ready until 2050....also what about thermal energy?

Theres others but I cant remember? solar power...am sure theres about 20 clean energy sauces we can use...

Also I still have faith in cold fusion! I have the documentary, I watch it all the time.

Please do a little bit of research. No offence, just please do and you may become a bit more well informed on the matter. Anyway, that's all I'm saying.

 

[ojrules]

I thought there's loads of new clean ways to do it? like those machines they can put in the ocean for wave power? and also I saw a documentary on BBC iplayer where they were making so sort of new power plant that was going to create a star inside it or sommat? you'd know what I mean if you saw it? but sure they said that wont be ready until 2050....also what about thermal energy?

Theres others but I cant remember? solar power...am sure theres about 20 clean energy sauces we can use...

Also I still have faith in cold fusion! I have the documentary, I watch it all the time.

the future isnt quite that bright... the classic renewable ones- wind-wave-solar are all to insignificant and costly, and the other ones like fusion still appear to be a fair way off, so its difficult to cost it as a viable solution since its still in R&D

and same as MACKY, sorry but you need to read up on it quite a bit