'No Need to Worry'

All kidding aside, the Japanese nuclear disaster is bordering on horrific. The radiation reports of 1,000 millisieverts per hour is made to sound benign by officials. But, eight hours exposure at that level of radiation is certain death. When officials say it is only "four times the limit deemed safe by the government" they neglect to add that the limit is 250 millisieverts per year not per hour.

While Fukushima Daiichi is still releasing less radiation than Chernobyl, the levels are dangerous. Mental retardation begins appearing in fetuses exposed to 10 to 100 millisieverts. Cancer risks increase by 1% for every 100 millisieverts.

More pictures of Fukushima Daiichi.