Is the radioactive crisis in Japan getting better or worse?

Question:

I can't tell what is happening in Japan right now because everybody has a different story.
My History teacher said that the power plants in Japan are close to having a radioactive meltdown and the situation is worse than Chernoble ever was.
However, when I looked it up on the Internet, some websites claimed that the situation was improving while others were saying that it was getting worse.

So I want the truth. What is happening in Japan right now in regards to radioactivity and is there any way I can help?

It's been my dream to visit Japan since I was a preteen, and I've been self teaching myself the language for a bit before I go to college. I really want to support this beautiful country.

Answer:

Well is your History Teacher also a SCIENCE Teacher? Does he have a nuclear energy PHD? I only challenge his credentials in stating that it's worse then Chernobyl. Has he made on site visits to the actual scene or have years of experience working with nuclear power?

The vast majority of scientists and researchers will tell you that this is in NO WAY close to what happened in Chernobyl. I'm sure these people have more credentials then your history teacher.

Has there been a partial meltdown? Yes. Is the situation serious? Yes.

However, is the situation worse then it was last week or two weeks ago? No.

Everyday steps are taken to get the situation resolved. The treat of the whole thing exploding out of control is very small at this point.

It is still a very serious situation of course, but no way on the scale or seriousness of Chernobyl.

For the most part, the vast majority of Japan is safe right now.