Scientists contain radiation in Chernobyl, Ukraine, with a newly built shield. Engineers working at the site of the famous nuclear reactor failure 30 years ago are close to finishing a new protective shelter to house the reactor and protect the surrounding area from more radiation. The radiation shield is to be the largest movable structure ever built, weighing 30,000 tons and standing the size of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. It is to replace the previous radiation shelter, which was hastily built by Soviet engineers right after the meltdown and only supposed to last 20 years. Full Article
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Radiation exposure increases risk of health problems for medical staff
Health care workers, such as cardiologists, electrophysiologists, and cath lab workers are at greater risk for orthopedic problems, cataracts, skin lesions and cancers. Full Article
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Safety campaign reduces medical radiation risks in Africa
While protecting patients from radiation risks can be a challenge in many parts of Africa, in 2015, the Pan African Congress of Radiology and Imaging launched a campaign called AFROSAFE to ensure all radiation-based medical procedures are necessary and performed safely in Africa. Full Article
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Low dose radiation and health
Researchers find that cancer rates where natural background radiation is higher than average is not as high as we guess. Full Article
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Hillary Clinton backs steelworkers during speech
During her speech to Pennsylvania union leaders, Democrat Hillary Clinton backs steelworkers, referencing an obscure incident involving radiation exposure among workers at Bethlehem Steel. In the 1940s and 1950s, workers at Bethlehem Steel were exposed to radiation rolling uranium rods for nuclear reactors. When these workers later developed cancer, Congress passed a law in 2000 entitling them to compensation if they could show the radiation exposure was the cause of their cancer. Clinton testified before the Presidential Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health in 2006, advocating for workers at the plant to automatically qualify for radiation exposure benefits. Full
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Revisiting Radiation Safety: Debunking Common Myths
Let’s take another look at radiation safety and challenge some common misconceptions related to nuclear accidents. Gerry Thomas, head of the Chernobyl Tissue Bank at Imperial College London, has provided valuable insights that show radiation doses from such accidents are much lower than previously believed. This article will explore her findings, focusing on the overestimation of risks to residents in Fukushima-affected areas. By incorporating the expertise of Gerry Thomas and the cutting-edge technology of X-Z Lab radiation detectors, we aim to shed light on accurate radiation safety information for better preparedness and protection. Understanding Radiation Doses from Nuclear Accidents: Gerry
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Greenpeace: Governments Reducing Radiation Protection In Areas Contaminated By Fukushima And Chernobyl
Due to economic struggles, Ukraine no longer has enough money to fund the programs keeping people safe from the radiation after the mishap of the Chernobyl power plant. Meanwhile, according to the environmental group, the Japanese government has not done enough to decontaminate the areas surrounding Fukushima, leading to the possibility of recontamination in areas that have been decontaminated. Full Article
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How Much Radiation Can The Human Body Tolerate?
While there’s no way to avoid all radiation in our lives because it exists at anywhere, precautions are the best way to decrease the risk of developing cancer from radiation. Full Article
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Congress faces pressure to help rejected nuclear workers
Even with $12 billion federal program in helping sick nuclear-weapons workers, there are still tens of thousands sick nuclear workers were not able to have the compensation from the U.S. government leading an investigation. Because of the bureaucratic hurdles, many of the sick workers had to fight for their illness and the government in their final years. The Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program was launched in 2001. Under this program, 53,000 sickened or dead workers got compensated but the money went to surviving relatives in many cases. On the other hand, 7,762 workers did not get any compensation even
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Advances improve radiation therapy
Every year, there are more than 1 million cancer patients receiving radiation therapy for their treatment. Therefore, the advanced treatment technology is needed in order to reduce the amount of radiation exposure to patience’s critical organs as well as the side-effects. With the Active Breath Control (ABC) technology, women would have less likelihood to suffer from harmful exposure of the heart to radiation during the treatment. The external-beam radiation therapy technology has been improved by boosting the speed and precision of treatment leading a shorter treatment times. Similarly, brachytherapy in the external-beam radiation therapy has been dramatically improved allowing higher
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