Wild monkeys near Fukushima have low blood cell counts
Primates near the ill-fated nuclear power plant may have been affected by radiation
By Beth Mole
Radiation exposure may have altered the health of wild monkeys in Japan.
Monkeys living near the Fukushima nuclear power complex have low levels of radioactive cesium in their muscles and fewer blood cells than monkeys living farther away from the disaster site, according to a new study. The plant suffered a meltdown following the massive 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Though the health implications for the monkeys are unclear, the authors say the finding could help predict the effects of radiation on other primates, including humans. The results appear July 24 in Scientific Reports.