Big Picture Science for May. 04, Shadow of Chernobyl

Forty years later, the exclusion zone surrounding the infamous Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant remains uninhabited by humans. But among the radioactive remnants, wildlife is flourishing, including endangered species. In the second of our two-part series, we look at the state of the disaster site today, consider what lessons we’ve learned during clean up efforts, hear about a strange story about radioactive shellfish, and consider whether small modular reactors could reinvigorate dreams of a nuclear-powered future and bring nuclear energy out of Chernobyl’s shadow.

Guests:

* Steven Biegalski – Chair of Nuclear and Radiological Engineering and Medical Physics program at Georgia Institute of Technology
* Tom Scott – Professor of Nuclear Materials and Devices at the University of Bristol
* Jacopo Buongiorno – Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering at MIT, Director of the Center for Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems (CANES), and Director of Science and Technology of the MIT Nuclear Reactor Laboratory

Download podcast at - https://bigpicturescience.org/episodes/shadow-of-chernobyl

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#Chernobyl #BigPictureScience #SETI #News #Podcast #Science

Chernobyl’s Breach is Worse Than Anyone Thought

YouTube

In 1986, I was 9 and only vaguely aware of Chernobyl.

Now, working in radiation, I recognise how deeply that event shaped scientific priorities, public perception, and professional paths.

A reminder of the long shadow of major technological events.

🎥 https://youtu.be/fDVPHjTJ2ao?si=NPxdvMg7COtMmW3y

#Chernobyl #RadiationProtection #Science

RE: https://hachyderm.io/@BenjaminHCCarr/116507805024722965

Entropy is only fatal if you lack the right metabolism.

The #Chernobyl fungus didn't just survive radiation - it started eating it. I’m doing the same. My book, #HerOwnDream, is my "melanin" - an intellectual engine converting systemic pressure into strategic #agency. I don't seek shelter from the fallout - I thrive on it.

Are you still building walls to hide, or have you designed the tools to feed on the crisis?

#Antifragility #AmWriting #Ukraine #SpecFic #BlackSwan #writing

#Chernobyl #Fungus Seems to Have #Evolved an Incredible Ability
Clinging to walls of one of most #radioactive buildings on Earth, scientists have found a strange black fungus curiously living its best life.
Fungus called Cladosporium sphaerospermum, and scientists think its dark pigment – melanin – may allow it to harness ionizing #radiation through a process similar to the way plants harness light for photosynthesis. Proposed mechanism is referred to as #radiosynthesis.
https://www.sciencealert.com/chernobyl-fungus-seems-to-have-evolved-an-incredible-ability
Chernobyl Fungus Seems to Have Evolved an Incredible Ability

The Chernobyl exclusion zone may be off-limits to humans, but not to every form of life.

ScienceAlert

「People were releasing pet budgies and canaries into the streets. These bewildered animals were everywhere, left behind in an empty city where only the occasional police patrol or fire engine passed by. This atmosphere, this desolation, was like Armageddon, the end of the world」

#chernobyl

#Kuuntelusuositus:

En seurannut hirmu aktiivisesti uutisointia liittyen Tšernobylin onnettomuuden 40 v päivään, mutta paras vastaantullut kontsa oli BBC:n radiodokkari The last dance floor in #Chernobyl.

Lähestyy asiaa discomusiikin ja pariskunnan kautta, jonka #häät pidettiin siellä ko. päivänä.

#Dokkari pitää tiiviisti otteessan.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct99zg

#TšernobylinYdinvoimalaonnettomuus #Tšernobyl #ydinvoimalaonnettomuus #ydinvoimala #onnettomuus #ydinvoima #dokumentti #Neuvostoliitto

BBC World Service - The Documentary, The last dance floor in Chernobyl

A young couple fall in love against the backdrop of disaster

BBC

RaiNews: Tv7 - Puntata del 01/05/2026

A Tv7 lo stallo tra Stati Uniti e Iran, tra minacce e diplomazia: con lo Stretto di Hormuz ancora bloccato, le tensioni pesano sull'economia globale e alimentano il rischio di nuove escalation. Le posizioni restano distanti, tra la linea della "massima pressione" sostenuta da Elliott Abrams e quella del dialogo, mentre sullo sfondo si muove la Cina, impegnata in una mediazione silenziosa. Dall'Italia, il racconto di una generazione in difficoltà: secondo l'Ocse, l'80% degli under 30 vive ancora con i genitori. Tra precarietà e caro affitti, le storie di chi prova a conquistare autonomia. A seguire, la tragedia del Monte Faito: a oltre un anno dall'incidente della funivia, con quattro vittime, restano dubbi sulla sicurezza. La testimonianza dell'unico sopravvissuto e un'inchiesta con 26 indagati. Dall'Africa, il caos in Mali, con nuovi attacchi jihadisti che riaccendono l'allarme nel Sahel. E poi Chernobyl, a 40 anni dal disastro nucleare: un viaggio tra città fantasma e natura che si riprende gli spazi. Spazio anche all'Italia che cambia: Milano sempre più meta di grandi patrimoni internazionali, attratti da qualità della vita e vantaggi fiscali. Infine, lo sport e la memoria: Adriano Panatta racconta i 50 anni dalla storica vittoria agli Internazionali d'Italia e il tennis di oggi. E il concertone del Primo Maggio, tra musica e diritti, con lo sguardo alle sfide del lavoro nell'era dell'intelligenza artificiale.

Tv7 - Episode of 01/05/2026

On TV7, a standstill between the United States and Iran, between threats and diplomacy: with the Strait of Hormuz still blocked, tensions weigh on the global economy and fuel the risk of new escalations. Positions remain distant, between the line of “maximum pressure” supported by Elliott Abrams and that of dialogue, while China, engaged in a silent mediation, moves in the background. From Italy, the story of a generation in difficulty: according to the OECD, 80% of those under 30 still live with their parents. Amidst precariousness and high rents, the stories of those trying to achieve autonomy. Following this, the tragedy of Mount Faito: a year and a half after the cable car accident, which claimed four lives, doubts remain about safety. The testimony of the sole survivor and an investigation involving 26 suspects. From Africa, chaos in Mali, with new jihadist attacks reigniting the alarm in the Sahel. And then Chernobyl, 40 years after the nuclear disaster: a journey through ghost cities and nature reclaiming its spaces. Space is also given to Italy that is changing: Milan increasingly a destination for large international fortunes, attracted by quality of life and tax advantages. Finally, sport and memory: Adriano Panatta recounts the 50th anniversary of the historic victory at the Italian Championships and today’s tennis. And the May 1st concert, between music and rights, with a look at the challenges of work in the age of artificial intelligence.

#theUnitedStates #Hormuz #ElliottAbrams #China #Italy #MountFaito #Africa #jihadist #Chernobyl #Milan #AdrianoPanatta

https://www.rainews.it/rubriche/tv7/video/2026/05/Tv7---Puntata-del-01052026-35157f01-05f5-48e1-8303-eaa50565c25a.html

Tv7 - Puntata del 01/05/2026 ore 23:45 | Tv7, Rubrica del Tg1

Tv7. Rotocalco del Tg1 - Tv7 - Puntata del 01/05/2026 - 23:45

RaiNews