Latest problem in Germany, Radioactive Wild Boars

[MadHound]

"Radioactive wild boars are on the rise in Germany, where they have attacked and frightened residents, even snarling traffic when they gang up on roadways, according to Spiegel International Online and numerous other media reports over the past couple of weeks"

<http://news.discovery.com/animals/radioactive-wild-boars-increase-in-number.html>

Sounds rather amusing, in fact my first reaction was to giggle. But the fact is, this is just another example of the problems with nuclear power. Radioactive material gets out into the environment and becomes the gift that keeps on giving. One of the reasons that the dairy industry became more and more associated with California instead of Wisconsin was back in the seventies, radioactive milk started showing up Wisconsin dairies. Apparently the fallout from nuclear tests was being blown as far east as WI, further in fact, and the cows were eating grass that had taken up that material in their roots and passed it on to the cows that ate the grass. Same principle is going on with Germany's boars, eating mushrooms and truffles that are taking up radioactive material from the Chernobyl disaster, and in turn, becoming radioactive themselves.

So while the term "radioactive wild boars" sounds like a great band name, the reality is that this is but one more example of why we need to stay away from nuclear power.

[Skink]

1. We have those in Texas.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. You have radioactive boars in Texas?

[BrklynLiberal]

5. Aren't they part of the Texas state government??

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. A mountain lion was seen the other day behind the building where I work. But

at least I don't have to worry about radioactive wild boars.

[ensho]

4. kick

nt

[TheWraith]

6. This article is nothing but fearmongering.

The level of radioactivity in these boars is barely above the background level. You could eat one of these things and you'd still get less radiation exposure than if you went outside in the summer without sunscreen. It has nothing to do with an indictment of nuclear power, except for the fact that these boars are breeding in the Chernobyl radiological exclusion zone, which has become an involuntary park, then escaping into the rest of Europe. If you want to bash the danger of badly designed reactors run by morons, you're welcome to.

[ensho]

7. radiation accumulates

nt

[TheWraith]

8. Please elaborate on that.

I'd love to see you try to rationalize your position with science.

Here's a hint: the radiation level in these boars is 700 becquerels per kilogram. For a sense of perspective, the legal limit for radiation in drinking water, in Canada, is 40,000 becquerels per liter. So if you live in or go to Canada, then you can get more radiation by drinking 8 ounces of water than you would from eating 2.2 pounds of ham from one of these "radioactive" boars.

Oh, and even 40,000 becquerels is a pretty low level of radiation. To give you an idea, the human body contains 100,000 times more radiation than that from naturally occurring potassium.

[ensho]

9. what's to elaborate?

radiation accumulates in the body. or as in internet game play radiation 'stacks'.

every time you get radiation its added to whats already there. 2 and 2 makes 4

[TheWraith]

10. Nope. Your knowledge of science is lacking.

While it is possible for excessive radiation exposure to cause lasting damage, low level doses have little to no cumulative effect.

[Dogtown]

12. Excellent rebuttal.

:applause:

[rbixby]

11. I'm more worried about the CHUDs, personally NT