'It's not a good thing,' says researcher
(NEWSER) - A major fallout from Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant disaster has hit the coast of California, according to scientists. Radioactive iodine was found in giant kelp beds off Laguna Beach to Santa Cruz within a month of the meltdown, reports the Los Angeles Times . The radiation "represents a significant input into the kelp forest ecosystem," warns the study in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. The levels—most likely not quickly harmful to humans—were significantly higher than measurements prior to the explosion, and similar to readings found farther north after the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. More»