Multigenerational impacts: nuclear’s lasting legacy

Dr Arjun Makhijani (pictured), president of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, has published a new report for the Nuclear Truth Project, examining the impacts of nuclear weapons testing and related nuclear activities on intergenerational health. Multigenerational Health Impacts of Nuclear Weapons Testing and Production: A Survey, highlights the non-cancer impacts of ionizing radiation, with a particular focus on fetal development and pregnancy. The report notes that despite the vast literature on the health impacts of radiation, the topic of multigenerational impacts is seriously understudied, particularly outcomes such as stillbirths and children born with severe malformations. Makhijani also notes that while the report focuses on atomic testing, “there is considerable overlap of these impacts with those associated with nuclear power”.