Radioactive Snails
Yes. You read that correctly.
Radioactive. Snails.
Rueters has the scoop. But the details are pretty basic.
- The discovery of radioactive snails at a site in southeastern Spain
where three U.S. hydrogen bombs fell by accident 40 years ago may
trigger a new joint U.S.-Spanish clean-up operation, officials said on
Wednesday.
The hydrogen bombs fell near the fishing village of Palomares in 1966 after a mid-air collision between a bomber and a refuelling craft, in which seven of 11 crewmen died.
Hundreds of tons of soil were removed from the Palomares area and shipped to the United States after high explosive igniters on two bombs detonated on impact, spreading plutonium dust-bearing clouds across nearby fields.
Now they are finding snails. That are radioactive. Hence radioactive snails. Which may and or may not be something like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. But these are not Teenage Snails. Nor Ninja's. Or even turtles. Probably not mutant either. But they are radioactive which creates like every other superhero, right? (Which is why i was more of an Iron Man fan. No radioactivity there. But one kickin suit of armor )
But what gets my eye is not that they found these things. Or that we're going to help clean it up (which we rightfully should) but that Spain actually had to issue a warning to its countrymen regarding these damn things.
Since 1966, the United States has helped pay for Palomares residents to be checked for signs of radiation poisoning. Spain says there is today no danger from surface radiation.
But it still advises local children not to work in fields at the explosion site, nor eat their snails -- which are a local delicacy.
Don't eat the snails.
It's a freaking snail
I wouldn't care if it wasn't radioactive.