Kat’s Piece #11: Grandparents as Data Collectors

Almost a decade since the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, many residents have taken it upon themselves to collect radiation data to help regain a sense of control. Today, they see echoes in the pandemic.

"Radiation is a bit similar to the virus," Tomoko Kobayashi says. "It doesn't have any smell, you can't feel it, you can't see it ... As long as you have a Geiger counter, you can detect radiation, but with the virus, there is no Geiger counter."

Kat suited up to tour the area around the damaged reactors at Daiichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima and collect data (and sound) of her own – Geiger counter in one pocket, dosimeter in the other. Photo Credit: Claire Harbage/NPR