Fate of Nuclear Plant in Japan Hangs in the Balance as Melting Continues
Friday, March 18, 2011 - 19:30
in Physics & Chemistry
As night fell on Friday in Japan, workers and soldiers continued heroic efforts to douse the potential meltdown underway at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The covering darkness is not the only reason for confusion: vital systems monitors have lost power, making the status of critical elements--such as the integrity of the nuclear fuel rods in reactor No. 2 or of the steel vessel containing them--unavailable. [More]