Chernobyl Disaster Still Irradiates Norway's Reindeer
Reindeer and other grazing animals in Norway have shown a sudden spike this fall in the amount of the radioactive isotope cesium-137 found in their bodies.
Scientists at the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority say there has been a fivefold increase in the amount of contamination from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster than was measured just two years ago.
Lesser amounts of the isotope were found in some of the country’s sheep.
Scientists point to a bumper crop of mushrooms this year as the reason for the increase.
The mushrooms readily absorb the contamination in the ground as they grow, and are later eaten by reindeer and other grazers.
Scientists say they are a little surprised by the magnitude of the increase, given that cesium-137 has a half-life of 30 years.
The Chernobyl disaster happened nearly 30 years ago, meaning about half of the radioactivity should have decayed by this time.
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