Stay Indoors & Cover-up in Japan: Are They for Real?

[link to www.theaustralian.com.au]

People living near Japan's stricken Fukushima reactors are being advised to stay indoors to avoid the particles of dust and debris in the air that may be carrying radioactive isotopes ejected during the explosions.

These are mostly harmless outside the body, as the alpha particles they emit cannot penetrate skin. But once swallowed or inhaled, they can be incorporated into tissues and wreak long-lasting cellular damage.

Alpha particles cannot create power, right? It's the same amount of radiation used in your average smoke detector.

Neutrons, though, penetrate very deeply, and are best stopped by thick layers of concrete. Am I wrong?

Reminds me of: