What is the Impact of Nuclear Disaster?

What is the Impact of Nuclear Disasters?

an essay by Matthew Bissonnette

The history of nuclear energy began with the same physicists who where part of the Manhattan Project which produced mankind's first atomic weapon; some historians believed that they where stricken with guilt by the weapon they had created and sought to use the same science they had used to build it for more seemingly benevolent purpose such as producing energy which is clean. But it was discovered that to be used as a power source, the size of the reactor had to greatly grow to produce electricity and in a worse case scenario the core would heat greatly and melt through the containment shell meant to enclose it which would create vast amounts of radioactivity and spread it much further then the area of its origin. Safety measures had been installed, but their effectiveness where largely theoretical.

The situation in Asia involving a meltdown seems to be strangely absent from the news or other informational media. Wild speculation on the situation can be found on the internet, but where are the estimates from people well educated in the relevant fields. Though I am a scientific illiterate on this; it seems it will surely have a tragic impact on the people in the nearby area, and could have some ramifications much further. What exactly is going on? Is there any need to be worried and why is the general media completely silent on such a important issue? If this is a dire situation why are people being kept in the dark? If this does negatively impact countless millions of people's lives; then is there anything more timely to be discussed in the media. People need to know and that information has to come from those knowledgeable on the subject.

Do we need to be afraid?