bbc has excellent coverage on the 20th anniversary of perhaps the worst man made disaster ever. The lasting effect will continue to evolve as a clear picture has yet to be formed 20 yrs post. Here're a couple of interesting observations I picked up reading on my read ups.....1) sarcophagus: it's in a dilapidated shape, as it was hastily built during the confusion post accident. Plans are underway for a new containment unit, which eventually will also have to be replaced. Assuming the avg lifespan of a properly constructed sarcophagus is 100 yrs. The site is still estimated to contain 180 tonnes of radioactive fuel, which won't biodegrade to safe levels for another 100,000 yrs. This number is just mind boggling to me, what a terrible burden to place upon future generations.2) wildlife resurgency: There's been a plethora of animals roaming around the containment zone. Which begs the question of what's worst, radiation or humans? Nature is thriving, animals long gone from the region have begun to re-emerge and flourish. It is rather ironic, a disaster of epic proportions inflicted by the hands of man have managed to turn the area into a nature reserve.would be interesting to see some thoughts on this.....
Aser
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Powerplants in Russia has been an issue in Norway the last few days. There is still old powerplants in Russia like the one in Chernobyl, and they are still up and running. Both Norway and Sweden have sent millions to these powerplants to improve their physical security, but they can never be as secure as neuclear powerplants in the west, because of the way they are built. A new disaster would affect all Scandinavia and Northern Europe, and what we are now most afraid of is terrorism, as there has been terrorist threats against some of these plants.
There is still places even in Norway where the farmers can't let their sheeps graze in open landscape because of the radioactive grassland - since the sheeps would be useless if they eat this grass. I remember growing up when this happened. I was only 3 years old in 1986, but there was always something on the news about the bad condition of the powerplants in Russia and what could have happened if more distasters would happen. The kids told stories to each other, about what would happend to our bodies and that kind of stuff (not that there was any real life threat in Norway, but we as kids didn't know that - and I had nightmares about it many times).
a girl who likes to spend her free time riding her motorcycle through the chernobyl dead zone. Perhaps one of the cooles sites ever.
Yeah I was just looking at this the other day, unfortunately it seems that most of it a hoax as Motorcycles are not allowed into the "dead zone" if you google her you will find the relevant arguments...
http://www.c-20.org/
Powerful photos of people who still live in the area affected by the disaster. The people behind this exhibit are releaseing a benefit CD that is being coordinated by Eric Hilton of Theivery Corporation as well. Check it out.
There is a great documentary named after the little river that runs through their also, but i can remember the name.
Prypiat? That's the town that housed all the workers from the plant and also the name of the river.
for the Canadian folks, there's an hr long piece on this on CBC Newsworld. 10pm et/pt (repeats at 1am for et). Read about it here