Skin cancer danger from airport radiation scanning
“While the dose would be safe if it were distributed throughout the volume of the entire body, the dose to the skin may be dangerously high,”
Airport scanners may pose risk to skin Kelly Brewington, Meredith Cohn and Andrea K. Walker – baltimoresun.com, 18 Nov 10, The new body scanners at U.S. airports are getting a lot of attention for how much they show of the human body, but doctors are saying there’s another problem: The radiation ticks up the chance of developing skin cancer.
In an interview with Agence France Presse, Dr. Michael Love, who runs an X-ray lab at the department of biophysics and biophysical chemistry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said, “They say the risk is minimal, but statistically someone is going to get skin cancer from these X-rays.”Travelers have the option of going through the scanner or getting a full-body pat down. But given the time constraints it’s not clear how many people will opt for that.
A Sun Sentinel story that rounds up Love’s and others’ comments, quotes scientists and doctors concerned about the screening because so many people use the nation’s airports. That story quotes scientists with the University of California at San Francisco who wrote a letter to the White House Office of Science and Technology in April raising concerns.
“While the dose would be safe if it were distributed throughout the volume of the entire body, the dose to the skin may be dangerously high,” said the letter, adding that “independent safety data do not exist” and raising the potential for further harm if a high dosage was accidentally emitted.”
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1.This month.
Zoom webinar – “Nuclear Winter: The Environmental Consequences of a Nuclear Exchange.”
April 7th at 11:30 am PST / 2:30 pm EST
Nuclear Winter: The Environmental Consequences of a Nuclear Exchange”
Join us for an informative webinar with renowned atmospheric scientist, Professor Brian Toon, as he discusses the environmental risks and global impacts of a nuclear war. Despite the potential damage caused by the blast from even small nuclear weapons, many countries continue to invest in and expand nuclear arsenals. Professor Toon will provide a scientific assessment of civilian fatalities, agricultural failures, climate concerns, and complications with food supply that would follow any international nuclear conflict. We need to plan how to prevent nuclear conflict and avoid catastrophe. Politicians and military planners must be made aware of global climate and agricultural complications that would ensue. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from, and engage in, this vital conversation
The Road to War brings a sharp focus to why it is not in Australia’s best interest to be dragged into a war with China which will almost inevitably go nuclear very quickly. The filmmaker has interviewed some of Australia’s senior foreign policy analysts who have vast experience behind them in analysing what really is going on here as the United States rattles its sabres with China. And sets us up to be its proxy, like the poor Ukranians have been fed into the Meatgrinder. So America can remain the Top Dog. The Road to War reveals how the United States through its spy base at Pine Gap and by stationing six nuclear capable B52 bombers in the Top End (without permission from the traditional owners) is making Australia a prime nuclear target if the current war of words suddenly melts down into full scale war.
The Road to War shows the implicit connection between Carbon emissions (the US military uses a whopping 70% of America’s annual petroleum to move its armies and vast War Machine around the globe to its 800+ military bases..but under a loophole wangled at Kyoto, the US military does not have to report its C02 annual emissions). The Road to War starts screening at selected cities and regional centres in March. See the trailer end for details.
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