I was watching this show called dark tourist on Netflix and in their Japan episode they visited the Fukushima area and received readings of up to 8.4 mcSv/h. My question is firstly what do the units even mean, and secondly how dangerous are these levels of radiation?
In: 11
Over the course of human radioactive research there has been several units / measurements, the current one most used is Sievert.
*mcSv/h* would be a bit strange, because milliSievert is usually *mSv* and microSievert is usually abbreviated as *μSv*. I assume that *mcSv* is meant as *microSievert*.
8.4 mcSv/h would mean that the human body in that location takes 8.4 microSievert worth of radiation per hour (so 84 microSievert in a 10 hours perioud, and 201 microSievert in a 24h period.
As long as you do not stay in that area for very long this is not a dangerous amount of radiation. Around 10 μSv / microSievert is the normal daily dosis a normal human being received from natural background radiation each day (so you are just fine).
This was discussed already [here](https://old.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/phatb3/eli5_how_do_we_measure_radiation_like_the_unit_of/), so just a quote
> Ionizing radiation (at least for us humans) is measured in *Sievert*, most commonly in *mSv* (MiliSivert). from there it is further differentiated with the time frame you are exposed to radiation (Immediately, per hour, per year, lifetime etc). Science differentiates between different types / sources of radiation, from normal natural background radiation to external radiation
> The base assumption for many countries, depending on international regulations, is *1 mSv per year*from external sources as maximum. Natural Background radiation can be higher and comes from exposure to cosmic radiation and basically simply existing. At this level it is a normal part of human life and usually humans stay far below any dangerous levels.
> From there it can go in any direction. For example Astronauts on the ISS can get up to 80 mSv for a long stay, with 1000 mSv (or simply 1 Sv) being the lifetime limit. Firefighters in Germany can be exposed to 100 mSv in a single year, to 250mSv for a single incident and only if it is for saving lives, with 400 mSv being the absolute max for their professional life (they would usually be removed from the Hazard Unit after such a dosis). Countries may regulate that a single nuclear power plant may only add 0.3 mSv per year to the radiation exposure of their employees.
> Everything over 1000 mSv / 1 Sv should be firmly in the *Nope!* category.
SYL
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