I wrote:
> I do not see what this study has to do with Fukushima. This describes mice > exposed to 400 times background for 5 weeks . . . > There is also a tremendous difference between being exposed to radiation and ingesting radioactive materials. It is especially bad when you ingest radioactive elements that replace non-radioactive ones in organs or bones, such as iodine in the thyroid. Even when the amount of material is tiny and the overall exposure is far less than you would get from 5 weeks at 400 times background, that can lead to serious problems. As everyone knows, radioactive iodine is used deliberately to treat thyroid conditions. It works without hurting other organs because even a tiny amount has a big impact on tissue immediately adjacent to the radioactive element, and not much impact elsewhere. I think that children living in areas with radioactive debris (dust) from Fukushima would inevitably ingest a lot of material, from playing outside and from food. They are learning a great deal about the uptake of radioactive material by food crops. Some crops take up a lot, and some hardly any. There were no large-scale tests of this prior to the accident. Now there are thousands of square kilometers, and tons of crops. Experience is a dear teacher but a fool will learn at no other. - Jed
