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Google Maps a Japanese Nuclear Ghost Town

theatlantic.com

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Re: Google Maps a Japanese Nuclear Ghost Town

#31

Post by cederberg »

Retric wrote: post #19
speeder wrote: post #2

This is highly interesting! Things I could notice: First, wildlife just ignores radiation, also nature is quick to take back whatever we are not using. Second, Japanese architecture is interesting, no building is ugly, both the modern ones (like the waterfront building that did not got smashed) and old ones (the traditional-looking houses). Maybe excepting schools (that are just rectangular boxes filled with windows)…

That town had negligible amounts of radiation, but this was a clear case of better safe than sorry and calling an evacuation was clearly a good idea. However, after a few weeks the area was at normal background levels, so keeping a large exclusion zone is perhaps overly cautious. One sievert carries with it a ~5.5% chance of eventually developing cancer. These places are dealing with ~0.000001 Sv per hour level which…

It is a mistake to think that radiation is evenly distributed. Or that all radiation is equally harmful. Neither are all animals and plants affected in the same way. This is much more complex than some averaged random statistics will have you believe.

Re: Google Maps a Japanese Nuclear Ghost Town

#32

Post by [deleted] »

mirkules wrote: post #4
artursapek wrote: post #3

I love what Google has done with Street View. Taking the technology indoors just does something completely different for me than outdoor shots. In this place it lets you look at intimate details of what used to be other peoples' every day lives. There's so much to explore. Can any one read this blackboard? http://goo.gl/maps/zWAqm I'd love to see a hack that lets one walk around in first-person inside an environment…

"I'd love to see a hack that lets one walk around in first-person inside an environment using Street View imagery, like a video game." There was a TED video in 2010 doing almost that: http://www.ted.com/talks/blaise_aguera.html

[deleted]

Re: Google Maps a Japanese Nuclear Ghost Town

#34

Post by StavrosK »

speeder wrote: post #2

This is highly interesting! Things I could notice: First, wildlife just ignores radiation, also nature is quick to take back whatever we are not using. Second, Japanese architecture is interesting, no building is ugly, both the modern ones (like the waterfront building that did not got smashed) and old ones (the traditional-looking houses). Maybe excepting schools (that are just rectangular boxes filled with windows)…

What surprised me is that someone left a barely used Volkswagen Beetle there and didn't even return for it...

Re: Google Maps a Japanese Nuclear Ghost Town

#36

Post by supahfly_remix »

StavrosK wrote: post #34
speeder wrote: post #2

This is highly interesting! Things I could notice: First, wildlife just ignores radiation, also nature is quick to take back whatever we are not using. Second, Japanese architecture is interesting, no building is ugly, both the modern ones (like the waterfront building that did not got smashed) and old ones (the traditional-looking houses). Maybe excepting schools (that are just rectangular boxes filled with windows)…

What surprised me is that someone left a barely used Volkswagen Beetle there and didn't even return for it...

I noticed that, too. The owner might be dead, though.

Re: Google Maps a Japanese Nuclear Ghost Town

#37

Post by thejsjunky »

speeder wrote: post #2

This is highly interesting! Things I could notice: First, wildlife just ignores radiation, also nature is quick to take back whatever we are not using. Second, Japanese architecture is interesting, no building is ugly, both the modern ones (like the waterfront building that did not got smashed) and old ones (the traditional-looking houses). Maybe excepting schools (that are just rectangular boxes filled with windows)…

>it is dreading when I noticed that the most present animals are crows

Not necessarily a dread thing... perhaps they're karasutengu; crow spirits who live like mountain hermits and sometimes provide guidance to people. It was also the divine crow Yatagarasu who was sent from heaven to guide Emperor Jimmu to Yamato.

Re: Google Maps a Japanese Nuclear Ghost Town

#38

Post by StavrosK »

supahfly_remix wrote: post #36
StavrosK wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What surprised me is that someone left a barely used Volkswagen Beetle there and didn't even return for it...

I noticed that, too. The owner might be dead, though.

Well, this got depressing quickly.

Re: Google Maps a Japanese Nuclear Ghost Town

#39

Post by Retric »

cederberg wrote: post #31
Retric wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That town had negligible amounts of radiation, but this was a clear case of better safe than sorry and calling an evacuation was clearly a good idea. However, after a few weeks the area was at normal background levels, so keeping a large exclusion zone is perhaps overly cautious. One sievert carries with it a ~5.5% chance of eventually developing cancer. These places are dealing with ~0.000001 Sv per hour level which…

It is a mistake to think that radiation is evenly distributed. Or that all radiation is equally harmful. Neither are all animals and plants affected in the same way. This is much more complex than some averaged random statistics will have you believe.

Not that I disagree with what you said and I would even add that children, adults, and the elderly all have different cancer risks as well. But, a sievert is normalized based on harm and not the energy equivalent for any one radiation type. So, while the risks are different it is plenty useful for evaluating order of magnitude risks as in is this directly lethal, a significant cancer risk, a minor cancer risk or a negligible risk.

Re: Google Maps a Japanese Nuclear Ghost Town

#40

Post by jonknee »

StavrosK wrote: post #34
speeder wrote: post #2

This is highly interesting! Things I could notice: First, wildlife just ignores radiation, also nature is quick to take back whatever we are not using. Second, Japanese architecture is interesting, no building is ugly, both the modern ones (like the waterfront building that did not got smashed) and old ones (the traditional-looking houses). Maybe excepting schools (that are just rectangular boxes filled with windows)…

What surprised me is that someone left a barely used Volkswagen Beetle there and didn't even return for it...

Who would? It's surely insured and a new car that hasn't been flooded or doused with radiation is a lot more desirable.
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