radioactive

Radioactive Material Is Basically Everywhere and That’s a Problem

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Our planet is home to many radioactive substances—not just in its geologic innards or its weapons caches but also in its hospitals, at its industrial sites and in its food processing plants. In Colorado, for instance, 27 buildings house scary-sounding elements such as cesium 137, cobalt 60, americium 241 and iridium 192. These materials are … Read more

Here’s What You Need to Know About Power Cuts at Two Ukrainian Nuclear Plants

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The catastrophic disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986 was caused by an explosion at the Reactor 4 Unit. This expelled a sizeable quantity of radioactive material into the surroundings, alongside a partial meltdown of the reactor core. The last few decades have seen substantial international efforts to safely contain and decontaminate the … Read more

Chernobyl Nuclear Plant Reported to Have Lost Electricity. Here’s What That Means

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Chernobyl’s nuclear power plant and all the facilities in the Chernobyl exclusion zone have been completely disconnected and are now without electricity, Ukraine’s state energy company has announced.    Russian forces attacked the defunct nuclear facility on the very first day of the invasion (Feb. 24), seizing it after heavy fighting and taking its roughly 210 staff hostage, Live Science … Read more

Chernobyl’s Radiation Spiked 20 Times Above Usual Levels as Russian Forces Arrive

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The Chernobyl nuclear power plant and its surrounding area are showing increased radiation levels after heavy fighting between Ukrainian and Russian troops in the region, Ukrainian officials said Friday (Feb. 25)   Online data from the Chernobyl exclusion zone’s automated radiation-monitoring system shows that gamma radiation has increased 20 times above usual levels at multiple observation points, which … Read more

Chernobyl Power Plant Captured by Russia, Leading to Fears of Radioactive Waste Spread

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Russian troops have captured Chernobyl‘s former nuclear power after heavy fighting near the Chernobyl exclusion zone, according to an advisor to the Ukrainian presidential office.   Ukrainian troops fought with Russian forces, which invaded the region from Belarus and have seized control of the now-defunct power plant, according to Mykhailo Podolyak, an aide to the … Read more