It was shutdown for testing, it was during those tests that it failed, of course it's now permanently shut down or rather simply broken. A conventional solid fuel nuclear reactor is at it's most dangerous when shut down at least for the first 10 years of being shut down, supplemental cooling isn't needed after ten years of being shut down. Had we really wanted safe civilian reactors, we would've gone with molten salt reactors, the solid core reactors were just the quickest way to produce weapons grade plutonium and for the reactor manufacturers to direct the economic benefits to themselves as solid fuel rods are proprietary just like inkjet cartridges.
There are still those (who peddle the pro nuclear cause) that claim nobody died at Chernobyl I still remember a visit to my sports club by a group of Chernobyl kids all with various forms of cancer, so I for one have no time at all for the sick B$%^$s who claim this didn't happen, or that radiation is safe.
If people really believe that then take a holiday to Chernobyl, go to one of the spots with a 4 hour safety limit and stay there a few weeks.
The workers who stayed on knowing they had received fatal doses of radiation should give sad little internet trolls a lesson in true bravery.
The Russians could hardly be called a green movement or linked to the anti nuclear movement, yet they abandoned the entire small nearby city of Pripyat because radiation levels are to high for anyone to live their anymore. Even now almost 30 years after the event the time you can spend in the area without getting a dangerous dose of radiation is measured in hours.
And yes as 'crash' states you can do a tour but do note the 'underlined' clause at the end of the rules
http://chernobyl-ukraine.com/rules-in-ch...
Given that it had a meltdown and was spewing radioactive #$%^ all over north eastern Europe gave it such a bad reputation that even the Russians were embarrassed. The entire area for 100 miles around Cherobyl is still a no-go area without government permission.
Chemical reactions are a hazard to everyone's health, and well being. Nature provides us a way to have energy naturally, but some want more or less, for personal gain and advantage, will trying going around what is right, whether intentionally or not, this is a problem that has to be solved.
You do realize that it's still melting down there. Like Fukashima, the intensity of the heat at the meltdown point will continue to burn into the earth anywhere from 35 to another 80 years. I think shutting it down is called for.
Since its a fairly popular tourist destination Why not sign up for one of the many Chernobyl tours & find out first hand.
This link is the first one that came up in a search for 2014 Chernobyl tours.
http://chernobyl-ukraine.com/
due to nuclear fallout
Chernobyl was a nuclear facility in what is today Ukraine, at the time it was part of the Soviet Union. In 1986 during routine testing and maintenance it suffered catastrophic failure. An explosion in a reactor vessel triggered a major fire, vast quantities of radiation and radioactive material were released into the air and carried off by the wind. It took 15 days to extinguish the fire.
The radiation covered large parts of Ukraine, Russia and Europe with the highest levels being in the nearby towns and villages.
28 years later and they’re still dealing with the aftermath. The site itself is still being made safe and thousands of people are suffering from radiation poisoning. The eventual death-toll is expected to reach 4,000 and some half a million people have been evacuated from their homes. The worst contaminated land will be off limits for thousands of years.
Wikipedia has a detailed description of what happened:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_d...
Its not! feel free to waltz right on in and demand that the police let you in!
remember, the more heavily armed you are, the less likely the police will try to stop you!
See this for some context: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/...
And see this for a comparison to wind technology: http://www.caithnesswindfarms.co.uk/acci...
It was closed on December 15th, 2000. Was it a political decision? Or was there actually a valid reason for the closing the place down?
The radiation is so strong no one will be able stay there for any time without getting sick it might be thousands of years before it is safe.
I was working on my Ph.D. in Physics in California at the time and we could detect the radiation there.
I find it hard to understand why they didn't close it immediately after the disaster.
It was a disaster waiting to happen, that happened, that was never worth trying to rescue.
There was a safety violation in the cafeteria.
Hahahaha - you're kidding.
