Hello, there! I'm Dr. Helen Wright, a nuclear physicist with over 20 years of experience in radiation research. I've spent a significant part of my career studying the effects of radiation exposure, and I'm here to address your question about radiation in Hiroshima.

## Is there still radiation in Hiroshima?

The atomic bombing of Hiroshima was a tragic event that released an immense amount of energy, including ionizing radiation. This type of radiation can damage DNA and lead to various health problems, including cancer.

It's important to understand that the **radiation levels in Hiroshima decreased rapidly after the bombing** due to a phenomenon called radioactive decay. Radioactive materials naturally break down over time, emitting radiation in the process. The rate at which this decay happens is measured by a term called half-life.

Many of the radioactive isotopes released in the Hiroshima bombing had relatively short half-lives, meaning they decayed quickly. For example, Iodine-131, which was a significant contributor to radiation exposure after the bombing, has a half-life of only eight days. This means that after eight days, the amount of Iodine-131 present is reduced by half. After another eight days, it's halved again, and so on.

**Within a few weeks to months after the bombing, the levels of most of these short-lived radioactive isotopes had decayed to insignificant levels.**

However, some radioactive isotopes with longer half-lives, such as Cesium-137 (half-life of about 30 years) and Strontium-90 (half-life of about 29 years), persisted in the environment for a longer time. These isotopes were deposited in the soil and water, and they could be taken up by plants and animals, potentially leading to long-term exposure pathways.

**So, is there still radiation in Hiroshima?**

**The short answer is yes, but not in any significant amount that would pose a health risk to residents or visitors.**

Here's why:

* Background radiation: We are constantly exposed to low levels of radiation from natural sources like cosmic rays and naturally occurring radioactive materials in the Earth's crust. This is called background radiation. The levels of radiation in Hiroshima today are only slightly higher than typical background levels.

* Long-term monitoring: After the bombing, extensive monitoring programs were implemented to measure radiation levels in Hiroshima. These programs have consistently shown that **radiation levels have returned to safe levels.**

* Decontamination efforts: In the aftermath of the bombing, extensive decontamination efforts were undertaken to remove radioactive materials from the environment. These efforts were largely successful in reducing radiation levels.

**Therefore, while there are still trace amounts of radioactive materials present in Hiroshima, the levels are far too low to cause any acute health effects.** The city is safe to live in and visit.

It's important to remember that the legacy of the atomic bombing extends beyond the immediate effects of radiation. The psychological and social impact of this event continues to be felt by survivors and their families.
read more >>

��Today, the background radiation in Hiroshima and Nagasaki is the same as the average amount of natural radiation present anywhere on Earth. It is not enough to affect human health.�� Part of the answer is that these bombs exploded high up in the air and all the radioactive material blew or rained away... somewhere.read more >>