Does the New Nuclear Symbol protect us from Nuclear Radiation?
And what about our descendants?

Why was a new Nuclear Symbol introduced by the IAEA? There already exists a pretty known Nuclear Sign since the 1940s.

So why create an extra Symbol?

In 2001 it was discussed that the meaning behind the tried and true radiation symbol (no longer?) made people stay away from the radiation.

Though this older nuclear symbol was widely used since the 1940s, too many accidents had happened harming humans and nature.

And this although we have not yet forgotten what this sign means: Run!!!

New Supplementary Nuclear Symbol

It was decided by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IEAE)that a new supplementary nuclear symbol was needed that would be (more?) readily recognizable. It was argued that the only people who actually knew what the old trefoil stood for were those who had been educated with the information which relatively was a small amount of the world population.

Hmmm....if that fact is not known by enough people even in our times, I wonder what actually is?

The new Nuclear Symbol

The new supplementary sign is also triangular in its design, the imagery still depicts the trefoil icon top center with wavy lines emitted downwards while the bottom left is a scull and cross bones and the bottom right is a shadow figure of a man running away. The ink is black on a red background. (see image)

This new nuclear sign was produced by a team of human factor, radiation protection experts and graphic artists.

The researchers chose the icons, created a sign and then tested this worldwide. It was found through the study that more people understood that the new symbol meant there was something dangerous nearby and to run away from it.

The testing took place throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Slavic countries and the Americas.

But still, even with all that research, not all people seem to understand it even in our generation. What about humans in 20.000 years? The nuclear waste will be active sometimes more than 1 Mio. years? What about them?

Will they understand that they shouldn’t open the doors sealing the waste?

I doubt that.

Well, just assume that we (once again) loose our level of technology and forget about the dangers and potentials of radiation and how to measure it...?

We still cannot rebuild the pyramids.

But back to the sign: In 2007 it was standardized by the ISO and IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) to symbolize dangerous radioactive material.

I think it’d would be correct to say that the new nuclear symbol was manufactured with the poor and illiterate in mind so that even those who do not know how to read will understand its meaning.

The radiating trefoil shows the presence of radiation, the red background and skull and crossbones shows that danger is near and the individual running away from the scene tells the viewer what action to take if they see the symbol.

But again: Will our descendants still understand it? I mean, symbols are very much related to culture.

Today I bet everyone seeing the big M knows about McDonald’s.

Everyone seeing the Mercedes star knows about the cars.

But this is due to billions of marketing dollars, and the effects of this effort will be taken to the grave by our or one of the next generations.

Will the Nuclear Sign save our Childrens' Childrens' Children?

So, honestly: What about the nuclear fuel waste?

Well, the French and British (and others) just dump it - partly - into the ocean (not a smart move, but cheap), but what about the land disposal zones?

What if in 5.000 years our culture has lost its knowledge (has happened before) and no one can read these symbols anymore?

Yes, the new symbol is "children tested", but how much about warning colors is derived from education - like never walk a red light?

And we cannot really - and were very lucky (see Rosetta Stone) to be somewhat able to at all - read the Hieroglyphs in Egypt.

And they are only 2000-3000 years old. Well, to be fair, some claim it’s more than 10.000 years. But that makes no difference, the nuclear waste from that time would still be very active today.

And what about the South American inscriptions?

With most we have no idea what they could mean. We completely lost the meaning of the symbols.

Oh, and just by the way: Nuclear fuel waste is dangerous for at least a million years...

So: There is NO way of protecting our descendants from radioactive dangers once our culture has changed enough to have forgotten about a symbol’s meaning.

It is easy to bury the wastes and forget them, since I will be dead in only - say - 50 years. My children perhaps in 90 years. And why should I care about my grandchildren...?

I wonder what would be different in this approach if Reincarnation was a given? Just a thought.

Renewable Power does not have this problem. And if you take into account all the security measures needed to protect nuclear waste for about 1 million years (if we really were knowing how and doing it right, that is), Solar and Alternative Power right now is thousands of percent cheaper than Nuclear Fuels.

What is your opinion about the New Nuclear symbol? And does it also protect our Descendants?

Future Places to test our descendants if they understand our new, then ancient Nuclear Sign:

USA

Europe

Back to Part 1: Nuclear Sign

Back to Types of Energy

Back to Home of Solar Energy and Power

Have a comment or want to share your opinion?