Radiation series had little basis in science

Fear sells newspapers, but perpetuating ignorance shouldn’t be how the Daily Herald makes money. Shouldn’t the Daily Herald have a higher ethical standard?

The series on nuclear power, especially the article on radiation, merely perpetuated the myths around nuclear power. The statement in the article on tritium, that “any exposure to radiation, no matter how slight, boosts cancer risk,” was blatantly wrong. It merely stoked fear of radiation.

If you believe radiation is dangerous at any level, you should tell your readers to never fly in airplanes. In fact, merely walking to the store exposes people to radiation.

And be certain to tell your readers to never visit Grand Central Station in New York City, because radiation levels there are twice the world’s average.

I don’t have radiation data for the Field Museum or the Adler Planetarium, but I suspect radiation levels at these locations are higher than the average for the world. Just imagine, people shouldn’t go to the Field Museum because they may be exposed to radiation?

I know the article was from the AP, but you should use greater discretion before running a series that has little if any basis in science.

Donn Dears

Geneva