Radiation Dosage Put Into Perspective Courtesy of XKCD
Posted by mattusmaximus on March 19, 2011
Wow, sometimes someone comes along and really lays out the science so clearly that it just makes you go… wow. I’ve spent much time in recent posts (here and here) discussing why it is important that the media put some context onto reports of radiation, specifically regarding accidents like that at the Fukushima nuclear power plants in Japan. The fine folks at XKCD have done an incredible job of putting the numbers I’ve been talking about for a week into a wonderful graphic; I suggest you all take a look (and try to find the dosages relevant to Fukushima, while you’re at it 🙂 )…
The Skeptical Teacher 
teenspirit said
For the first couple months I totally bought into the fear mongoring. I live on the west coast and was terrified. I always like to get both sides of a perspective and realized I’ve only been listening to one. Most of the people I was listening to are anti nuclear power. The stuff I have found about plutonium and how its actually not the most deadliest substance on earth made me completely re think what I have been hearing. It reminds me of when the exact same people were telling me I was gonna die from the gulf oil spill. The oil spill was awful and the response pathetic but all the stuff they predicted about north america being affected hasnt come true. Its a shame that so many global warming people don’t give a crap how many people they scare to death. I was literally living my life for two months thinking I was gonna die and soon. I’m really glad their are sane people like you and others who dont completely freak out and jump to conclusions. I can finally drink my tap water!