nuclear-news

Just in time to debunk the US NRC proposal for increasing radiation exposure to the general population from 0.25 mSv (EPA) to 100 mSv: http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NRC-2015-0057 (Comment Deadline Nov. 19th) is a new study of nuclear workers exposed to cumulative doses with a median average (half-above, half-below) of 4.1 mSv, and an overall arithmetic average (mean) of 20.9 mSv: “Results suggest a linear increase in the rate of cancer with increasing radiation exposure. The average cumulative colon dose estimated among exposed workers was 20.9 mGy (median 4.1 mGy). The estimated rate of mortality from all cancers excluding leukaemia increased with cumulative dose by 48% per Gy (90% confidence interval 20% to 79%), lagged by 10 years“. (See Richardson et. al. below). One Gy is 1000 mSv, in the context of this study, or 10 years worth of the US NRC 100 mSv proposal. This is mortality, that is death…

The new low dose radiation exposure results, showing high cancer risks at low doses, which came out on October 20th, are very important: https://miningawareness.wordpress.com/2015/10/21/new-study-of-us-uk-french-nuclear-workers-supports-linear-no-threshold-model-radiation-is-bad-for-you-increased-dose-is-increased-risk-hormesis-debunked-funding-from-pro-nuclear-govts-nuclea/
The study, which supports that any amount of radiation is bad for you (LNT), has been largely ignored, and where not ignored it has been partially misrepresented already. The study did control for both smoking and asbestos exposure, using lung cancer, but found little difference in results. Additionally, non-nuclear workers smoked, and were exposed to asbestos. In many of the decades studied, smoking was very widespread in all social classes. Comparing to the general population, of the same age, which is the apparent definition of excess cancers, should act as a control.

In the context of this (Richardson et. al. 2015) study, Gy is equivalent to Sv. Thus, the excess relative risk of cancer DEATH per 1000 mSv is 51%. For 100 mSv it is 5.1%…

World:

¶ Australia has not just reached socket parity, it has smashed it, according to a report from Beyond Zero Emissions. In most cities in Australia, the cost of rooftop solar is now less than half the price of grid-based power. Indeed, even some utilities offer to install rooftop solar on your roof for free, and charge only 11¢/kWh for the output. [One Step Off The Grid]

Australia at grid parity.

¶ An unprecedented alliance of heads of state, city, and state leaders, has called for countries around the world to put a price on carbon. The call comes by way of the Carbon Pricing Panel, a group of world leaders convened by World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim and IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde. [CleanTechnica]

¶ China’s leader is expected to put the seal later on its contribution to what will be the first…

Krill are basically the ocean’s all-you-can-eat buffet — and scientists are worried they could disappear.

Source: Climate change is killing the unsung heroes of the oceans: Krill