North Korea Nuclear by Gentry Safriet http://www.bbc.

com/news/science-environment-25641310 On January 7th, 2014 BBC News reporter Rebecca Morelle provided paramount information about the harmful and the long-lasting effects radioactive materials have both on the atmosphere, but also about the citizens that inhabit it. The article suggests that radioactive particles from nuclear tests that occurred decades ago still persist in the upper atmosphere. Many doctors and medical researchers have theorized exposure to high levels of radiation and radioactive particles can not only trigger harmful effects and diseases on the mind and body, but it can signal diseases and medical conditions such as cancers, birth defects in children, memory loss, and tumors. As the Scientist Jose Corcho Alvarado suggests in the article that even though small fractions of radiation are said not to be a posing threat to the general public; some radioactive particles can become trapped in the Stratosphere and had about 1,000 to 1,500 times higher counts of radiation than the other levels of the earth. While some wonder if they should be concerned over radiation or simply avoid the thought of it, the posing threat is seemingly always lurking: whether it be in the minds of world leaders, or in the atmosphere of the Earth.

Currently throughout Asia and the pacific, a deliberate threat still exists between North Korea, South Korea, The United States and ultimately the whole world. Since North Korea was declared a nuclear power in April of 2009, North Korea has made countless threats towards South Korea to the south. Since the United States is a key ally of South Korea, if North Korea were to strike a nuclear strike on South Korea, the United States would be forced into a possible nuclear war. This leads us back to the question of the safety of radioactive material and the potential effects it could have on the future. The article states that there are still reminisce of radioactive particles in the atmosphere from testing during the Cold War that took place from 1947-1991.

This makes us wonder what the result would be if a nuclear war started across the world and the potentially catastrophic effects if could withhold. Even though many scientists are conducting research about the amount of time radioactive particles can stay in the atmosphere, it cannot begin to prepare us for the threat of even stronger nuclear bombs and an all-out nuclear war. In the article it is implied that the idea of radioactivity being a trivial threat is only a hypothesis and is not fully backed up with thorough testing and observation. They should consider the event of their already being radioactive material in the air and the possibility of a potential nuclear calamity in the near future.