Radiation detected in Aussie archipelago decades after British nuclear tests

SYDNEY -- More than half a century after Britain conducted its first nuclear tests at the Australian archipelago of Montebello Islands between 1952 and 1956, scientists discovered there remains a radiation risk to marine life and tourists.

"We have detected levels of radionuclides from the nuclear tests above what would be considered a background reading, or levels that you might get from the sand at your local beach," lead researcher Madison Hoffman, a PhD student from Edith Cowan University, said in a statement on Tuesday.

According to the statement, the radiation puts more than 150 varieties of coral, 450 species of fish, 630 types of mollusks and 170 species of sea stars and urchins at risk.

The project has seen the collection and testing of more than 100 samples of marine sediment and marine life surrounding the islands and will continue until 2024.

The research team is currently mapping out the areas where higher levels of radionuclides have been found, and the next step is to ascertain the impact on marine life.

As the islands are frequented by fishers, divers and snorkelers for the biodiverse marine environments, tourists are encouraged to only spend an hour a day visiting.