Latest news with #radiation
The National
20 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
Gulf radiation levels remain normal after Israel-Iran war, UN nuclear agency chief says
Radiation levels in the Gulf region remain normal after Iranian nuclear facilities were severely damaged in the Israel-Iran war, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said on Friday. Any significant radioactive release from a damaged nuclear power reactor would have been detected by the 48-nation International Radiation Monitoring System, IAEA director general Rafael Grossi said in a statement. He said the main concerns were Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant and the Tehran research reactor as 'any strike affecting those facilities – including their off-site power lines – could have caused a radiological accident with potential consequences in Iran as well as beyond'. 'It did not happen, and the worst nuclear safety scenario was thereby avoided,' he said. Mr Grossi said on Wednesday that ensuring the resumption of IAEA inspections in Iran was his top priority as none had taken place since Israel began bombing on June 13. However, Iran's parliament approved moves on Wednesday to suspend such inspections.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Thermo Fisher Scientific Awarded $94.5 Million DoD Contract for US Navy Dosimetry Systems
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) is one of the best S&P 500 stocks with huge upside potential. On June 23, Thermo Fisher Scientific announced that it had been awarded a 5-year contract worth $94.5 million by the US Department of Defense (DoD). Under this contract, Thermo Fisher Scientific will supply the US Navy with a next-gen dosimetry system, coupled with updated radiation health and database management software. A workstation in a research lab stocked with laboratory products and services. The US Navy operates the world's most technologically advanced naval fleet and is the largest global user of dosimetry systems for defense purposes. Thermo Fisher Scientific will provide Navy Occupational Dosimetry System/NODS devices and Navy Radiation Exposure Management System/NAVREMS software. These tools are manufactured in Oakwood Village, Ohio, and are crucial for monitoring and managing occupational radiation exposure among Naval personnel. This includes those associated with nuclear-powered Navy assets, nuclear-capable shipyards, various research sites, laboratories, and naval medical facilities. The advanced digital dosimetry devices are designed with integrated beta, gamma, and neutron detection capabilities, which ensures precise and reliable radiation exposure monitoring in demanding environments. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) provides life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, laboratory products, and biopharma services internationally. While we acknowledge the potential of TMO as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the . READ NEXT: and . Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Science
- Daily Mail
Terrifying simulation reveals exactly what a nuclear bomb would do to your body - even if you're two miles away
As the world teeters on the brink of widespread conflict, a terrifying simulation has revealed what could happen to those caught in the blast of a detonating nuclear bomb. Created by the appropriately named 'atomic marvel', the animation details the impact of an apocalyptic explosion in five distinct 'zones', each a certain distance from the blast site. The clip—which has been viewed over 13million times—shows even those at the furthest reaches, two miles away, aren't safe. For those in zone one—for the purposes of the animation the outer range of the blast radius between 1.27km (0.8miles) and 3.27km (2miles)—the main risks are being rendered blind as retinas burn away from the intensity of the nuclear flash. This flash would then be followed by a burst of radiation causing 2nd degree burns to scorch the flesh of the mannequin figure used in the animation. Finally, the immense sound wave of the explosion may render those within its range temporarily or permanently deaf. But those in zone one may be considered the lucky ones. The fate of those in zone two—within 600m (2,000ft) and 1.27km (0.8miles)—the shockwave will be strong enough to instantly knock them off their feet. This will leave them at risk of injury and concussion with ear drums rupturing from the pressure wave. Their radiation burns will also be more severe third degree injuries covering a large extent of their body. Things only get worse for those in zone three, between 350m (1150ft) and 600m (2,000ft). Those this close to the nuclear detonation are hit by an 800km/h (500miles per hour) shockwave that hits one-and-a-half seconds after the blast. This sends bodies flying like rag dolls into the distance, suffering injuries like catastrophic haemorrhages of blood and ruptured organs. The lungs are particularly devastated by the shockwave the immense wave of pressure created by the atomic weapon, causing the organs to collapse. Thermal radiation is worse this close to the blast and victims are left with 4th degree burns on much of their body. Those in zone four are closest to what the video dubs the 'fireball'—between 200m (650ft) and 350m (1150ft). The grim animation shows that people in this zone are incinerated by a sudden increase in temperature a split second before their bodies are dismembered by the blast wave. Those in zone five—effectively ground zero of the explosion—see the least suffering due to a rapid death. Anyone closer than zone four's 200m (650ft) is effectively vapourised immediately. When a nuclear weapon detonates it creates a ball of air hotter than the sun's 15,000,000C (59,000,000F) core. Anything inside this radius is rendered into white hot plasma—effectively super-heated gas. As one social media user grimly wrote: 'This leaves us with a wise lesson: When a nuclear bomb explodes, it is best to be very far away or very close.' The animation doesn't capture the true horror of what a nuclear weapon being used in the modern era would mean. Firstly, it takes place in an open plain, not the cities where nuclear weapons would most likely fall. Those in any of the outer zones of the blast will also have to contend with a wave of flying shrapnel made of glass, concrete and metal from destroyed buildings and gutted skyscrapers. Fires will spark throughout the area meaning any immediate survivors will also risk burning to death or suffocating from smoke inhalation. What's more, the measurements used in the animation to describe injuries that would occur are historic. The figures refer to the blast radius of the 'Trinity Test'—the first-ever detonation of a nuclear weapon which occurred in the New Mexico in 1945 famously carried out by American theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer. That bomb had a strength of 18.6 kilotons—a measurement for nuclear weapons—with one kiloton equivalent to 1,000 tonnes of the explosive TNT. Nuclear weapons of the modern age—which number over 12,000 and are capable of being launched across continents—are measured in the hundreds of kilotons. This means the blast radius of any modern nuclear weapon will be of a far greater magnitude and devastation than that shown in the simulation. For example, in a densely populated city like London, a 500kt blast could kill as many as 400,000 people in an instant. But more than 850,000 could also sustain injuries from the blast, shockwave and radiation. With health infrastructure crippled in the wake of a blast many of these injured would succumb to their wounds in the following days. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons notes that 'all of the dedicated burn beds around the world would be insufficient to care for the survivors of a single nuclear bomb on any city'. The animation also only covers the immediate horrors of a nuclear explosion and not those that will stalk any survivors in the days and years to come. Lingering radiation spread by a nuclear explosion will poison the air, water and people many miles from initial blast for decades. High or extended radiation exposure has a number of potential immediate and longer term health risks. Exposure to radiation—which is impossible to see, smell or taste—damages tissues deep in the body, causing a condition called radiation sickness. In the immediate aftermath, victims may suffer from nausea, vomiting, headache or diarrhoea. Depending on the extent of exposure a patient can then recover or enter a tragic period of false hope. At the higher levels a patient will strangely recover some days after the event before then becoming much sicker as their body shuts down their organs and cells damaged beyond any repair. Such victims usually die withing a matter of weeks, even with medical care, from their body essentially ceasing to function or being unable to fight off any kind of infection. In the longer term, exposure to radiation as well as food and water contaminated by radioactive material can increase the risk of developing cancers. Rising global tensions have brought the prospect of a nuclear conflict back into the spotlight. Putin's invasion of Ukraine—and the UK's support of the latter—saw Russian state TV brazenly simulated how Vladimir Putin could launch a nuclear strike on London, declaring there would be 'no survivors'. And just this week US and Israeli warplanes have battered nuclear facilities in Iran in a bid halt the country's development of an atomic bomb. Surviving a nuclear explosion is largely up to chance depending on where a person is at the time of the explosion. However, the British Government has issued advice for what the public should do in the event of a 'radiation emergency'. The primary advice is to get indoors as soon as possible, with health chiefs stating this can reduce exposure to radiation by 85 per cent compared with being outdoors. Being indoors also reduces the amount of radioactive material inhaled by 40 per cent, the advice reads. While some buildings are better than others, getting indoors in any way possible should be the priority, according to health chiefs. 'Buildings made of brick, stone, concrete or similar materials provide the best protection, but being inside any building is better than being outside,' it states. 'If you are already inside a building, stay there.' It warns that Britons may be advised to stay indoors for up to two days—a procedure called 'sheltering-in-place'—to reduce further potential exposure. People who were outside and nearby the side of the emergency would be at risk of their clothes, skin and hair being contaminated. As a result, they may be advised to self-decontaminate, which involves taking off clothing—which removes 90 per cent of any contamination—and showering.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Expert reveals only place that would be safe in a nuclear war
A nuclear war would be devastating and spread radiation to nearly every corner of the globe, but an expert has revealed the one place you may survive the apocalypse. Investigative journalist Annie Jacobsen explained why Americans looking to avoid the dire consequences of World War III should considering escaping to Australia or New Zealand. On The Diary of a CEO podcast, Jacobsen said that the neighboring countries in the Southern Hemisphere would be the only place that could 'sustain agriculture' following a nuclear catastrophe in the northern portion of the world. As the conflict in the Middle East drags on, fears of Iranian sleeper cells in the US have Americans worried that a weapon of mass destruction could go off at any minute. Meanwhile, ceasefire talks between Iran and Israel appear at an impasse, with both sides already claiming the other has violated a fragile truce. Nuclear powers Russia and China, allies of Iran, have already warned that the US getting involved in the Middle East conflict could send the entire world spiraling into an all-out war than leads to Armageddon. Jacobsen discussed the chilling timeline in which a nuclear war would decimate most of Earth while speaking with podcast host Steven Bartlett. 'Places like Iowa and Ukraine would be just snow for 10 years. So agriculture would fail and when agriculture fails, people just die,' Jacobsen warned. 'On top of that, you have the radiation poisoning because the ozone layer will be so damaged and destroyed that you can't be outside in the sunlight,' Jacobsen said during the 2024 podcast. 'People will be forced to live underground. So you have to imagine people living underground, fighting for food everywhere except for in New Zealand and Australia,' she continued. Before the crisis in the Middle East even escalated, Jacobsen had released a book entitled Nuclear War: A Scenario, which laid out in shocking detail how the end of the world would play out during World War III. 'Hundreds of millions of people die in the fireballs, no question,' she told Bartlett. However, Jacobsen added that a 2022 study by Professor Owen Toon in Nature Food claimed the death toll would quickly consume the majority of the world's population. 'Professor Toon and his team... sort of updated [the] nuclear winter idea based around food, and the number that they have is five billion people would be dead,' Jacobsen said. Nuclear winter describes the severe, long-lasting global cooling that could happen after a large-scale nuclear war. In a full-scale war, where many cities are hit by nuclear bombs, those explosions would cause huge fires, burning buildings, forests, and other structures. The smoke and soot from these fires would rise high into the sky, into a part of the atmosphere called the stratosphere, where it can stay for years because rain can't wash it away. This thick layer of soot would block sunlight from reaching the Earth's surface, like a giant shade over the planet. With less sunlight, the Earth would get much colder. The experts Jacobsen spoke to in her book predicted that temperatures in the US would plunge by roughly 40 degrees Fahrenheit, making farming impossible. This cold and darkness would lead to massive food shortages and starvation. Animals and fish would also struggle to survive, making food even scarcer. Steven Bartlett said he was happy to have taken a recent trip to Australia when fighting in the Middle East broke out in 2024. Renewed tensions in 2025 have taken the region to a nuclear tipping point 'The population of the planet currently is what, eight billion?' Bartlett said. 'So there'd be three billion people still alive. Where shall I go to be one of the three billion? I was just in New Zealand and Australia,' the host mentioned. 'That's exactly where you'd go. According to Toon, those are the only places that could actually sustain agriculture,' Jacobsen replied. Along with both nations being capable of producing food once the dust settles on a nuclear war, Australia and New Zealand have several other factors which make this part of the world a haven from global destruction. They are far from the major nuclear powers which would likely spark a world war, the US, Russia, and China. Being island nations, their isolation in the Pacific and Southern Oceans limits fallout from nuclear detonations up north. That's because prevailing winds and ocean currents would carry much of the radioactive material away from these regions. For those who can't afford a trip to Australia or New Zealand, the renewed threat of a global nuclear war has sparked a nationwide search to locate America's long-forgotten fallout shelters. Although they're not built to withstand the initial blast, extreme heat, and shockwaves of a nuclear explosion, they can act as a safe room for anyone who lives to see the aftermath. As for what makes a good fallout shelter, shielding is the most important factor. Thick walls and a roof made of concrete or steel are necessary to block out the radiation produced by a nuclear explosion. Fallout shelters also need good ventilation with proper filters to trap radioactive particles in the air. Those inside will need enough food and clean water to last for weeks or months as the radiation clears the air, an area for waste disposal so you don't contaminate clean supplies, and a comfortable place to sit or sleep.
Times of Oman
6 days ago
- General
- Times of Oman
Environmental situation in Oman is stable, no signs of elevated radiation
Muscat: The Environment Authority (EA) has confirmed that the environmental situation in the Sultanate of Oman is stable, with no signs of elevated radiation levels or any abnormal environmental impacts recorded so far. The EA noted that it is closely monitoring recent developments related to the targeting of nuclear sites in the region, in light of the ongoing escalation and the potential transboundary environmental repercussions. The EA confirmed that it operates within an integrated national system, in coordination with the relevant authorities, to monitor environmental and radiation data in real-time, through the radiation monitoring and early warning system deployed across the Sultanate of Oman's various governorates, in addition to continuous connectivity with relevant regional and international centers. The EA said that it monitors and follows up around the clock are continuing, as part of its role in protecting the environment and ensuring the safety of people and natural resources in Oman.
