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Thursday, February 28, 2013

"Creationists have consistently demonstrated that their confirmation bias filters are very strong, and their habit of cherry-picking and distorting the meaning of real scientific studies is part of their DNA."

I have Dr. Prothero's book and I recommend it.

Human Evolution: Gain Came With Pain

In other words....not a very intelligent design.

Must See TV!

Bill Moyers (on PBS in the US) with Zack Kopplin and Susan Jacoby.

Sometimes Health Physicists Don't Understand Health Physics

One example is the ScienceWonk blog, in which I've left a comment.

Excercise

It also can reduce your colorectal cancer risk.

Oyster Creek's Tritium Problem

Is described here.

SRS Report Likely Flawed

Since it is authored by anti-nuclear activist Bob Alvarez.

More On Hanford Tank Leaks

Leak rate estimated at about 1,000 gallons per year.

Radiant Wildlands

An overview of the radiation effects on the ecology of areas around Chernobyl and Fukushima.

WHO's Health Risk Assessment From Fukushima

Is now available.  An overview (with link to full report) is here.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Ernest Moniz - Next DoE Secretary?

He's pro-nuclear and pro-natural gas.

microRNA As A Biomarker For Radiation Exposure

Is described here.

Fukushima Contamination As Wildlife Tracking Tool

Is described here.

Nuclear Waste In The Age Of Climate Change

It's a bit of an exaggeration to claim that Fukushima was a "radioactive inferno".

And I don't think (though I could be wrong) that there are 34 casks of nuclear waste buried at Trojan.

But the larger point of the title is an issue that needs resolution.

Windmill Ringing

Can cause windmills at sea to break like matches.

Wind Power In TX

Is largely successful.

Congrats AZ & OK!

Two antiscience bills have died.

Friday, February 22, 2013

6 Hanford Tanks Leaking

As time goes on, expect more leaks.

Utah's Radwaste Legislation Moves Forward

But still needs to be voted on by the state House and Senate.

Fukushima Radiation Spread To Residential Areas

Hours before intentional venting.

Beards As Radiation Shielding

For UV.

TEPCO Visits Hanford

To learn what they can:


Varying Cancer Rates

By state, race, gender and age.

The huge difference in age highlights that it is the accumulation of mutations over time which increases the risk of getting cancer.

New Video On DoE's Comprehensive Epidemiologic Data Resource

I've mentioned the database before.  Here's a shorter introduction:


Thursday, February 21, 2013

5 Facts That Sink Nuclear Power

One perspective.

Guess What? Radon Causes Lung Cancer

A joint analysis of 3 European case control studies, even when the exposure was restricted to below 300 WLM.

Getting An "A" In Science

Even though what you think is scientifically supported is NOT.

High Radiation Bars Fukushima Decommissioning

As described here.

Congrats Americans!

Attendance down at the Creation Museum!

They are trying to blame part of the reason on rising gasoline prices, which is funny as the article points out. Because fossil fuels are older than the Creation Museum's claim of the age of the Earth!


Potential EPA Head Choice Has Some 'Splainin To Do

About RadNet.

Oak Ridge - Shipping Nastiest Waste In 2014

To WIPP in New Mexico.

Global Warming Is A National Security Issue

Does that make deniers domestic enemies of the U.S.?

You Go Zack!!!!

Zack Kopplin, anti-creationist.

Poland Struggles With Nuclear Power

Economic slowdown and local acceptance.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Energy Secretary Wakes Up Next To Solar Panel

 “Oh, Christ, what the hell did I do last night?” Chu is said to have muttered to himself while clutching his aching head and grimacing at the partially blanketed 18-square-foot photovoltaic solar module whose manufacturer he was reportedly unable to recall. 

The World's "Leading Exorcist"

Praises the Pope.



Nuclear Speculation In Utah

Doesn't sound viable.

Bluefin Tuna Still "Hot"

With Fukushima radioactivity.

U.S. Senator Wyden Not Impressed With Hanford

Maybe it's the leaking tank...or maybe it's the expensive treatment plant...or maybe it's the whistleblowers...

Nuclear Waste: Too Hot To Handle?

Only because some make the issue political.

SHINE's Progress

They will produce non-Rx Mo-99.

The Growing Undercover Effort To Get god Into Biology Class

Growing, but not new.

And not moral.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Can You Believe In Both Science & Religion?

Of course you can.  But you shouldn't.  Irish writer Michael Nugent explains:



Predictable Evolution Trumps Mutational Randomness

An often heard claim by creationists is that they find it too difficult to accept that something as sophisticated as a human can arise by "chance".  Of course, that just shows they don't understand physics and biology.  Mutations can happen by "chance", but evolution is determined by the environment.

Solid Cancer Mortality - Techa River Cohort

This group of people received external and internal radiation at low doses and dose rates (compared with atomic bomb survivors).  They show an increased cancer risk with dose.

Beyond Radiation - Nuke Weapons Detection

An initiative of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

Toshiba's Aquilion Prime CT

Reduces radiation dose.

High Cs In Fish Caught Off Chiba

I wonder where the cesium came from???  HA!

Negative CO2 Emissions Needed

To really reduce global warming.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Hanford Radioanalytical Work

Is described here.

Fukushima's Impact On A Mushroom Farmer

Is described here.

The End Of The Vatican

It could be near, with the Pope retiring and their financial troubles.

But it has survived for around 2,000 years so we shouldn't be over-confident.

Leukemia and Evolution

A new study highlights the importance of understanding cancer in evolutionary terms.

See my webpage (at right side of this page) on "Radiation, Evolution, Cancer & Aging" for background.

The Dark Snow Project

Is described here (I can't embed the video).

But It's Naturally Occurring!

That's one of the reasons some people use to downplay the risks of radiation.

Lead is also naturally occurring, but that doesn't mean it is risk-free.

It's not.

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Fukushima Radiation Risk Downplayed

By a Japanese government-backed researcher.

He says:

"To put it the other way round, we can't say risk of cancer will rise if you are exposed to radiation lower than 100 millisieverts," he said, adding that most people measured had radiation exposure of 20 millisieverts or less."

Well, a single photon of radiation can damage DNA.  Since cancer results from damaged DNA, a single photon (let alone 100 mSv) increases the risk of cancer.

But the risk increase is low and should not be worrisome.

He is wrong to frame the science the way he has.

Climate Denial Funding

Is reviewed here.

It's a level of selfishness that is depraved.

Here's an example of how this plays out, courtesy of Forbes.  The author is associated with the right-wing Heartland Institute.

The dishonest op-ed is criticized here.

Kansas - You Have A Problem

A climate denial bill.

Don't put up with this nonsense!

Hanford Tank Leaking

One of the single shelled tanks.

Cancer Treatment Increases Leukemia Risk

Though the study size was small, the findings are not surprising.


SRS MOX Project Costs Climbing

Increased by an estimated $2B by the GAO.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

World Solar Power Exceeds 100 GW

Congrats!

CO2 Sponge

Could help in the fight against global warming.

It's Not A Theory

HA! HA!  Here's the Discovery Institute's science education policy.

They don't want to politicize the "theory" of intelligent design.  It's not a theory.  It's an unsubstantiated hypothesis.

But, hey, rather than politicize that hypothesis they want to politicize the theory of evolution.

They are IDiots.

EnergySolutions Burns German Waste

And it makes the newspaper for some reason.

What Happens With An Underground Nuclear Test?

CNN explains.

Chief Engineer? Or Chief Anti-Nuclear Propagandist?

C'mon now, Arnie.  "Nip it in the bud":


Monday, February 4, 2013

Human Health Impact Of Climate Change

Requires more attention.

Some Cancer Mutations Slow Tumor Growth

Of course they do...tumors have a large degree of genomic instability, so some mutations will arise that slow tumor growth.

Nuclear Power - 6 Things Which Haven't Changed

Here's anti-nuke Arnie Gundersen discussing 5 things which haven't changed with nuclear power (secrecy, subsidies, waste heat, decay heat, and waste).  I've added a sixth thing, which is Arnie's biased position on nuclear power.  He's on for the first 30 minutes:


Sellafield Cleanup Too Slow

According to a U.K. lawmaker panel.

Reminder - Today Is World Cancer Day

Help dispel the myths.

Cheap, Safe & Radiation Free

Elastography.

Shortening Prostate Cancer Treatment Time

Using VMAT to deliver IMRT.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Shame On Them

It's not just that they wear funny pointed hats....they abuse children and cover it up.

That's Some Bad Epidemiology

One doesn't look for cases of just about anything and then draw a circle around the area.

One defines what biological endpoint one is looking for, then determines how large an area to look in, breaks up a larger area into smaller areas in an objective fashion, and then makes comparisons.  One also has to use confidence intervals (ie, one small area may have a larger number of cases of a certain biological endpoint due purely to chance).

UK Learns Of US Ignorance

Their comments within the link says it all.

The City Of Light Is About To Get Dimmer

Unnecessary lighting is light pollution and contributes to global warming (yes, even though France is predominantly nuclear powered).