Not since an enormous quake (and subsequent explosions) crippled the Fukushima plant has anyone stepped foot inside – the radiation has been too thick for humans, leaving robots to do the job. But not today, as workers braved the millisieverts.
After the robot squad reported lowered radiation levels, a team of twelve, working on quick shifts to prevent over-exposure, entered the plant’s leaking reactor to repair an urgently-needed ventilation system. Should it prove successful, the functioning ventilator will allow for more manned missions inside the plant, as radiation levels diminish further – an important path towards (safely) shutting the place down for good. [AP and Kyodo News]