The nuclear disaster in japan may seem terrible outright, but be assured that the worst of this tradegy is yet to come. Since nuclear reactions produce heat, radiation and radioactive waste, when the reactor experienced a meltdown, this radioactive waste was spread into the atmosphere, the surroundig countryside, and the ocean of the coast of japan. This radiation consists of either electromagnetic waves or high energy subatomic particles, which, when they collide with the nucleus of a living cell, permanently alter the DNA that is present, which, depending on the stage of development the organism is in, can cause mutations and/or life altering disabilities. This mutated genetic information is then passed on to the organism's progenitors, leading to a plethora of mutated or disabled organisms. The most serious implication of this scientific fact is that this obviously applies to humans, and so any japanese citizens exposed to sufficient levels of radiation are liable to develop disabilities and/or have children who are likewise disabled. There is also the very pleasant possibilty of death by radiation sickness. It is my opinion that the reactor and waste need to be dealt with as quickly and as safely as possible, in order to prevent more serious human effects. However, since not all radiation can cleaned up or isolated, the aforementioned effects are still probable to occur.
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