Explained: rad, rem, sieverts, becquerels
Monday, March 28, 2011 - 09:00
in Earth & Climate
Sometimes it must seem as though reports on releases of radioactive materials from Japans Fukushima Daiichi nuclear powerplant in the wake of the devastating earthquake and tsunami are going out of their way to confuse people. Some reports talk about millisieverts while others talk about rem or becquerels, when what most people really want to know is much simpler: Can I drink the milk? Is it safe to go home? Should people in California be worried?