Cows in Fukushima radiation zone find new purpose: science

This is one 'scientific research' Japan conducts on large mammals that we know is legitimate.

Wonder what they do with calves of these breeder cows?

I see absolutely nothing wrong in what they are trying to accomplish or doing.

If those cows could talk, I doubt they'd be telling you about how they've found a new purpose.

The team worries that the study results could spark overly broad fears that the region will no longer be habitable or fit for agriculture.

That presumption will affect the research outcome.

Surprised someone hasn't bottled their milk for sale as "special energy milk" or somesuch.

So without a control subject then the results; cancer developing or not will be put down to other factors!

Even if radiation was shown to be the cause of cancer then any findings could easily be ridiculed.

I guess that is why the government doesn't mind the researchers carrying out their studies......

Glad they're being used for something. Just hope they don't slaughter them in inhumane ways to do so, then sell the meat and say it's all for science and if you doubt it you are attacking their culture.

5Speedracer5: "Twice in the article, this word "habitable" comes up, and I submit that it is entirely habitable."

Because you, personally, have of course studied the long term affects and as a science, have concluded it is safe. It's "habitable" all right, but that does not mean it is safe.

He watched a mother cow being killed while a calf was still suckling on its milk, and then the calf following that.

That broke my heart. Really. Just broke my heart..

Namie is most likely a place where the elderly can live as they are not so susceptible to radioactive poisoning as the young are.However, the elderly also need the services that only the younger generations can provide. With no studies on just how low level radiation is to children then it is all a bit of a crap shot! In ten years time I might swop my home in Kanaai for one in Fukushima but not before......

I have been through Namie a couple of times in recent months. Anybody can go there.

Twice in the article, this word "habitable" comes up, and I submit that it is entirely habitable. Today. I hope I am not getting anyone in trouble by noting this, but people appear to be living in Namie now.

All up and down the coast are communities that are taking a long time to rebuild. It is a chicken and egg problem where people will not live there until there are stores and services, but you cant have stores and services without people there. And you can't have proper government unless you have a steady group of residents. The only difference with Namie is that there are A LOT of homes, but only, to my observation, about 10% are occupied.

What is happening now is that people are arguing about what is habitable or not. Anti-nuclear activists have assured us all daily that we will be dying from radiation... any day now.... for the last five years. They cow the governments, who are keeping people away from their homes based on hysteria and a desire to NOT MAKE A MISTAKE. And there seem to be plenty of people who have chucked the bureaucracy and and have chosen to move back. What are the police going to do? It appears that they are simply ignoring legitimate residents who go back to their homes.

So two things. These cows are going to be fine. It is great that someone is examining them. They will live a lot longer than most other cows bred for the same purposes, that is for sure, and that longer lifespan might give them a marginally higher incidence of cancer. That should be expected. Radiation or no, these are not "normal cows."

But most importantly, the people of Namie and other affected areas should be allowed to move back, ESPECIALLY if they are elderly people. They need to be allowed to have a home, which is much much more important for their overall health than hysterically inflated risks of low level radiation.

**If those cows could talk, I doubt they'd be telling you about how they've found a new purpose.

Yeah, but they can't talk. Nor do they have a conscious sense of purpose or preference.