On April 26, 1986, the numÂber 4 reacÂtor at the CherÂnobyl nuclear powÂer plant blew up in what is now Ukraine. The site spewed a cloud of radioacÂtive mateÂrÂiÂal that spread over much of Europe. The area immeÂdiÂateÂly around CherÂnobyl received more than 400 times the radiÂaÂtion as HiroshiÂma and won’t be safeÂly inhabÂitÂable for about 20,000 years. The govÂernÂment set up a 1,000 square mile excluÂsion zone around the site. While short visÂits to the zone are posÂsiÂble withÂout too much danÂger, livÂing there is not advisÂable. CanÂcer is a real probÂlem for the couÂple hunÂdred elderÂly stalÂwarts who still make the zone their home.
WithÂin the zone, nature has takÂen its own course, disÂmanÂtling the SoviÂet-era bruÂtalÂist tenÂeÂments of the surÂroundÂing abanÂdoned cities and turnÂing it into what at first blush looks more and more like a prelapÂsarÂiÂan Eden. The truth proves to be more comÂpliÂcatÂed.
Dr. TimÂoÂthy Mousseau, a biolÂoÂgist from the UniÂverÂsiÂty of South CarÂoliÂna, has been examÂinÂing the wildlife around CherÂnobyl for fifÂteen years. He’s disÂcovÂered that the radiÂaÂtion that has been bathing the area for almost 30 years is changÂing nature. As you can see in the New York Times Op-Doc video above, birds are develÂopÂing tumors, bugs have abnorÂmal spots and spiÂder webs seem much more freeform than usuÂal. Get more on the stoÂry over at the Times.
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RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Scenes from HBO’s CherÂnobyl v. Real Footage Shot in 1986: A Side-By-Side ComÂparÂiÂson
Joseph StalÂin, a LifeÂlong EdiÂtor, WieldÂed a Big, Blue, DanÂgerÂous PenÂcil
Tarkovsky Films Now Free Online
Jonathan Crow is a Los AngeÂles-based writer and filmÂmakÂer whose work has appeared in Yahoo!, The HolÂlyÂwood Reporter, and othÂer pubÂliÂcaÂtions. You can folÂlow him at @jonccrow.
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