Chernobyl and atomic bomb

2001/12/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Medikuntza

The World Cancer Conference has analyzed the Chernobyl nuclear accident, which has been the episode that has so far created the largest human group that has developed cancer for a given reason. It has been 15 years since the accident occurred and at the moment about 2,000 people have developed thyroid cancer, although the figure is growing.

This congress has analyzed the number of cancer cases due to different catastrophes, including nuclear accidents and the atomic bomb. In addition to different types of radiation, the intensity and exposure time are different in each case. When the atomic bomb was launched, people were exposed to gamma rays and neutrons, both very dangerous.

However, in the Chernobyl accident they were influenced by xenon gas and yodine. Iodine is a radioactive iodine isotope that, although not as dangerous as gamma rays, can settle in our body and cause serious long-term damage.