Abstract

RUIZ LOYOLA, Benjamín. Communication and the nuclear emergency in Japan. Educ. quím [online]. 2011, vol.22, n.4, pp.318-319. ISSN 0187-893X.

The Fukushima nuclear plant incident that took place last March stands today as an unsolved nuclear emergency. Among all of the severe problems that arose from this situation, the lack of proper information and communication was one of the most notable. The term 'nuclear fusion', for example, is taken by many people to be synonymous with nuclear weapon explosions and apocalyptic events; this showcased the need for a communication of science and scientific matters done by qualified professionals (scientists and science journalists) and not by politicians, marketers, and business managers. In the Faculty of Chemistry of the UNAM, chemistry students are required to attend a course titled 'Scientific Communication', which is intended to provide them with the means which they need to, in turn, provide society with better and more readily available information regarding science.

Keywords : Scientific dissemination; nuclear emergency; Japan; Fukushima; Chernobyl; nuclear fusion; informative deficiency.