project led by University of South Carolina aims to provide long-term data from Japan

"A new international scientific expedition led by the University of South Carolina and supported by the biotechnology company QIAGEN is seeking to measure the genetic impact of radioactivity on animals and plants in areas surrounding the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station in Japan. The initiation of field work today in Japan marks the beginning of a long-term research project designed to better understand the actual impact of radiation on molecular building blocks of life such as DNA and the consequences for ecosystems. The work will build on research results gained following the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster with an aim to provide more comprehensive data for hazard assessment of nuclear accidents."

Intresting reading this then NHk where a " expert" ///Expert: contaminated beef poses no problem
An expert on nuclear medicine says eating meat contaminated with the radioactive substance cesium on a few occasions will not cause health problems.

Keigo Endo is the president of Kyoto College of Medical Science.

He says Japan's safety limit for cesium is stricter than in the United States or Europe where a large amount of meat is consumed.

Endo says eating 500 grams of meat containing the safety limit of cesium for at least 200 days would add up to 1 millisievert of radiation.

However, he says the government should work out measures immediately to prevent beef containing cesium above the safety limit from reaching the market including stepping up checks.
Monday, July 11, 2011 21:31 +0900 (JST)