W(ar) Crime, according to what the U.S. team found Wednesday, it may
be a while before the “heat ” dies down.
Did anyone see the documentary on Chernobyl? Someone shot footage
with a super 8 camera from a bus that I think was evacuating people
from the area a few days after the
accident. There are flashes of light or spots where the footage simply blanks out, which, the narrator explains,
is caused by intense radiation exposure picked up on the film. Scary to watch.
^And getting scarier, bueller. Incidentally, I’ve been recommending Atomic Awakening for a rigorous but very readable account of nuclear science and plant design by a nuclear engineer not blind to the risks. If you’re interested.
motivemagus, Thanks. It seems that nuclear plant designs haven’t been improved since the 60’s or early 70’s.
And it also seems obvious that in this case, the backup
systems, emergency batteries, etc. were designed
absent the belief that they would ever actually be needed
in an extreme emergency.
I’m reminded of last spring’s BP well blowout for some
reason…
My pleasure. It was downright refreshing; a nuclear engineer telling the history and science briefly, clearly, and even amusingly - the footnotes average hilarious - without flinching from the dangers. He explains the real issue: money. It costs to make reactors really safe. But he’s an optimist that we can make them cheaper and safer. Sadly, there’s no way to know how much you have to build them for: the Japanese built for an earthquake - but not an earthquake AND a tsunami…
Hey Bueller I thought you guys (and Motive too) said this wasn’t Chernobyl. Unless of course the disaster was under reported (like the BP oil spill).
In addition my comment wasn’t on the disaster itself but rather people’s scary inability to remember certain events. Of course I’m talking about the U.S…
WarBush about 13 years ago
Doubt it. Just like the BP oil spill it’ll be business as usual as soon as the heat dies down.
Motivemagus about 13 years ago
^Was that a joke?
bueller about 13 years ago
W(ar) Crime, according to what the U.S. team found Wednesday, it may be a while before the “heat ” dies down. Did anyone see the documentary on Chernobyl? Someone shot footage with a super 8 camera from a bus that I think was evacuating people from the area a few days after the accident. There are flashes of light or spots where the footage simply blanks out, which, the narrator explains, is caused by intense radiation exposure picked up on the film. Scary to watch.
Motivemagus about 13 years ago
^And getting scarier, bueller. Incidentally, I’ve been recommending Atomic Awakening for a rigorous but very readable account of nuclear science and plant design by a nuclear engineer not blind to the risks. If you’re interested.
bueller about 13 years ago
motivemagus, Thanks. It seems that nuclear plant designs haven’t been improved since the 60’s or early 70’s.
And it also seems obvious that in this case, the backup systems, emergency batteries, etc. were designed absent the belief that they would ever actually be needed in an extreme emergency.
I’m reminded of last spring’s BP well blowout for some reason…
Time for a “Nurse Betty ” cartoon.
annamargaret1866 about 13 years ago
motivemagus, thanks for the book suggestion.
Motivemagus about 13 years ago
My pleasure. It was downright refreshing; a nuclear engineer telling the history and science briefly, clearly, and even amusingly - the footnotes average hilarious - without flinching from the dangers. He explains the real issue: money. It costs to make reactors really safe. But he’s an optimist that we can make them cheaper and safer. Sadly, there’s no way to know how much you have to build them for: the Japanese built for an earthquake - but not an earthquake AND a tsunami…
WarBush about 13 years ago
Hey Bueller I thought you guys (and Motive too) said this wasn’t Chernobyl. Unless of course the disaster was under reported (like the BP oil spill).
In addition my comment wasn’t on the disaster itself but rather people’s scary inability to remember certain events. Of course I’m talking about the U.S…
dannysixpack about 13 years ago
the backup systems in nuclear reactors were/are built and budgeted simply as “window dressing”.
no one really cares if they work or not.