Mysterious spike in radioactivity over Europe ‘could come from Russia’

A mysterious spike in radioactivity has been detected in central Europe, with particles detected in Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland and France.

It’s not thought to be harmful to health – but researchers in Germany now believe the isotope Ruthenium-106 is coming from Russia.

Germany’s Federal Office for Radiation Protection (FORP) said last week that five weather stations had detected elevated levels of the particle – and now claim that could be coming from the Urals.

MOST POPULAR ON YAHOO UK TODAY:

Apple is ‘working on a foldable iPhone which could transform into an iPad’
Caught on camera: Thug almost kills homeless man by deliberately setting his tent on fire
‘Sleeping’ supervolcano ‘could erupt more quickly than we thought’
Number of Romanians and Bulgarians living in UK increases 76% in two years
Dog lover FAKED having pet put to sleep after it bit boy, nine, in the face

A spokesman said it could not be an accident at a nuclear power plant.

A spokesman said, ‘The origin of the measured ruthenium-106 is still unknown.

The source isn’t known, but calculations indicate it came from Eastern Europe.

‘New analyses of the source of the radioactive material indicate a release in the southern Ural, but other regions in southern Russia can not be excluded.

‘Since only ruthenium-106 has been detected, an accident in a nuclear power plant can be excluded as a cause.

‘With this small amount of radioactivity there is no health hazard to the population.’