So sad.....

Hadn't I heard that they had used sand at Chernobyl as sand is good at absorbing heat. Adding sand would effectively make the reactor useless for the future but it would mean a more effective way of cooling what needs to be cooled. Watching how ineffective dropping water onto the reactor is, dropping heavier sand must surely be more accurate and more effective in the long run?

Nuclear power...it doesn't come with an off switch. Oh, the irony...

It's sad 'cause they seem desperate and unorganized. Hard to believe one of the most organized nation in the world would pass over this subject and the precautions / dangers around it so lightly until something bad happens and run around in confusion and desperation. I'd expect from the modern Greek nation for instance, but never from Japan.

I don't know, are there no pre-cautions to take ? Esp. if you're right on top of one of the most eartquake-active regions of the earth? You just go by until all hell breaks loose and throw water to cool the reactors and run away as fast as possible? Also the actual info coming to the outter world is very limited, usually late and confused; of course it also has to do with the pride character and culture of the nation, but these are matters beyond any country and affect the entire globe.

Yesterday's top article on Slashdot websites:
Slashdot.org : Japan Earthquake Story
Slashdot.jp : iPhone Angry Birds discussion

I'm wondering if it is really as apocalyptic as our media is showing (not because of the above example, but because there's also a lot of comments of experts that say the impact so far is really limited, and a cloud going over Tokyo is really not an issue, but only in the close vicinity of the reactor.

Yeah but people keep comparing Chernobyl from a nation and time completely different from Japan of 2011. Forget the former, looking back in time at the way worst and comparing is no excuse; Japan (and any other country that does this kind of stuff) should be able to contain this no matter what, especially since they're one of the planet's most admirable, organized, technologically advanced and hard-working nations; let's hope they succeed but things look really grim.

Wasn't sure whether to put this here but this video shows a visualisation, using GPS data of the seismic earthquake slip and seismic wave of two of the Japanese quakes: the main quake and a major aftershock.

The lefthand panel shows the horizontal displacement (blue) and the right panel shows the vertical displacement (red). Maybe someone could better explain what we are seeing (Christian?) but I assume the magnitude and direction of the arrows indicates the magnitude and direction of the movement of the earth?

Two things immediately strike me. How the effects flows across the earth's crust away from the epicentre of the earthquake. Also, what a difference between the first M9.0 quake and the second M7.9 quake (the arrows from the first shock are removed to better see the effects of the second).

Martijn how are things with your brother? Is he on European soil again?

Good news, Martijn.

Great news Martijn!

Excellent, huge relief to hear. Glad for you and the family my friend!

Oh "one of the most organized nation"… Now finally we can prove that it's just surface?

Well, I just found it interesting to know how we were seen from other countries. But everything looks better from the outside than inside. I think all of our known problems, which have been pointed out for long time but not solved, were just revealed to the world by the disasters - the government & large companies delay releasing information (they always do), lukewarm mass-media vs. hysteric internet crowd (both are stinky), lack of media literacy & science literacy among people, lack of communication skills among scientists (yeah including myself ) and lack of interactions between scientists and non-scientists.

The last three are especially what I've been concerned about these few years… now I'm seriously thinking about taking the "science communicator training program" at a museum (actually I was considering it even before the quake). Ornithologists can't save people or can't kill anybody (um, generally), but maybe I can contribute something for scientific education?

Anyway, I have to do something on my current jobless status first.

Miya, a lot of what you say is found here in the UK also - governments and large companies not being ready to provide information unless it is forced out of them, the media's almost frenzied panic at a story (particularly if it portends doom and gloom) without any follow-up of the story once the danger is passed (or if it was found that there was no danger in the first place), poor quality reporting of science stories and the lack of interest in science in the general public and the sustained presence of an "ivory tower" attitude amongst many scientists.

Thanks for that view Miya. Refreshing! I also had a different idea about Japan. Just before the earth quake I read an article that you had 4 prime ministers in 5 years! Something must not be working well.