The Children of Chernobyl
Posted by John Brownlee
There is no way to look at this photo gallery of Chernobyl’s horrible legacy on the native people of Belarus and be filled with anything less than sadness and pity. Photographs like these make me wrestle with myself, because while I connect with these individuals empathically, there is an aesthetic fascination within me that takes some degree of pleasure in these post-apocalyptic mutations, entirely delineated in my imagination into a hemisphere both separate and opposite my compassion.
Chernobyl Legacy [Todays Pictures @ Slate] : ectotweeted by whitebrice
Categories: Apocalypse, Horror, Photography, ectotweet
Posted at 3:05 pm on July 11, 2007
19 Comments -
So messed up. This is what you get when you have rogue states playing with nuclear power-
If the NORKS or Iranians get a reactor working, it will likely be modelled from the Chernobyl style reactors.
Also, all those mutations, and not a single instance of superpowers? WTF?
Comment by BelchSpeak — July 11, 2007 @ 3:28 pm
Your post is very interesting. In some ways, I used to feel the way you do, but now I have friends that used to live in Pripyat, just north of the Chernobyl Plant and I cannot help but feel more than just pity and sadness for these people. They did nothing to deserve this, but now must suffer.
I personally visited the Chernobyl area for two days in June 2006 with a friend and former resident of Pripyat. We toured the Chernobyl Plant (including the Reactor 4 control room), several of the abandoned villages, and Pripyat. I have posted a photo journal of my trip at:
My Journey to Chernobyl: 20 Years After the Disaster
Comment by MarkR — July 11, 2007 @ 3:32 pm
To be fair, the USSR was hardly what anyone would call a “rogue state.” However, the biggest tragedy of Chernobyl and Three Mile Island is how much these disasters set back nuclear power, which is still the safest and cleanest way to supply massive amounts of power that we have (and don’t let any of those crack-smoking wind farm enthusiasts tell you different… they are nuts)
Comment by John Brownlee — July 11, 2007 @ 3:32 pm
You know, my great-grandmother bought a gaggle of stock in a wind farm that was eventually shut down because of its inherent worthlessness, and sure she lost the family a huge amount of money, but at least I’ve got a functioning lymph system.
Comment by whitebrice — July 11, 2007 @ 5:22 pm
This is going to be wrong – but that kid’s legs should be in Mortal Kombat. Imagine the jump kicks!
Comment by zerone — July 11, 2007 @ 11:45 pm
As the narrator states sarcastically, “of course these problems have been fixed and can’t happen again”.
While I’m all for scientific exploration, and have never felt to strongly about any god or gods … this montage is a chilling reminder that we need to tread carefully when advancing the world of science … we are truly messing with forces beyond our control …
Comment by Airwick — July 12, 2007 @ 9:37 pm
is that real?what happened…?
Comment by joan — September 2, 2007 @ 12:44 pm
this is what will happen again and soon, any nuke facility has a chance for meltdown. there are alternative energy sources but im just talking youll all see the consequences…
Comment by supremeknowledge — March 22, 2008 @ 2:05 am
“supremeknowledge” – sorry, not true.
CANDU reactors do not have the chance to melt down. Not possible, for a plethora of reasons: different fuel, different physics, different reaction, to name a few.
the nukes can be scary, it’s true. But they don’t have to kill. We have to be smarter about it.
Comment by carrie — May 22, 2008 @ 8:57 pm
Sad, really sad. And to think that this could have been avoided, if it weren’t for human error. Nuclear energy can be a terrifying force.
Comment by Ori — May 24, 2008 @ 4:21 pm
“carrie” -some more research may be required in order for you to make any statement about the CANDU’s
The CANDU reactors have the cleanest record of all reactors in service today, but it is a really, really big stretch to say they cannot melt down; frankly thats ridiculous.
CANDU reactors use uranium, just like almost every other reactor in use today, the only difference is that the uranium is enriched by deuterium for successful application of heavy water; it increases its capacity to be cooled. Therefore, it uses the SAME fuel, its just handled differently.
I assure you, all of the physics are the fundamentally the same; enormous heat from nuclear fission spins turbines that generate electricity. CANDU’s have an great capacity to recover after coolant failure, and THAT is what makes them safe. Trust me, if both sets of coolant fail, a fusion reactor will fall through anything its contained in; nuclear reactions and heat go hand in hand — THAT is the physics of it, and THAT is what causes meltdowns.
Wikipedia that, its the truth ;)
Comment by mccrea — June 1, 2008 @ 9:15 pm
4 of us are goin to sneak into Chernobyl tomorow with ak-47s oh and btw we laughed at the pics
Comment by kkk — June 3, 2008 @ 12:11 am
^the above comment is a lie he wont do it^
Comment by kkk lies — June 28, 2008 @ 9:53 pm
Isn’t there a safety measure built into most nuclear power stations now entitled delayed neutrons? which prevent the fuel configuration going critical if the delayed neutrons are blocked by the control rods?
Comment by TRD2000GT — July 2, 2008 @ 6:26 pm
The laws now banning children affected by chernobyl from leaving the country are ridiculous. The huge benefits a month can do to ONE childs health is unbelieveable, and it is unthinkable that the government is making these children suffer.
Can you imagine if we were in their position???
Comment by Nicola — September 17, 2008 @ 1:26 pm
I must say, that chernobyl, was the saddest tragedies of the earth. In chernobyl, when the factory went ka-boom, they civilians were helpless. they could not do anything about it.Take a moment to think about this, 50,000 people used to live in that city. Now it’s a ghost town. I’ve never seen anything like it.Think about this when you can. Take care. – Viktor a.k.a. BIOUHXSF
Comment by Viktor Kavashvan — January 26, 2010 @ 10:56 pm
FOR THOSE OF YOU LAUGHING ON THIS WEBSITE KNOOCK IT OFF RIGHT NOW. YOU ALL NEED TO READ VIKTOR’S EMAIL. RIGHT NOW.
Comment by Al-kravsh — January 26, 2010 @ 10:58 pm
hey screw you “kkk”! what kind of inconsiderate ASShole could say something like that??? reality is gonna come and bite u on the ass.
Comment by davcan — May 12, 2010 @ 1:07 pm
This is pathetic.
Comment by Karebear — June 2, 2010 @ 9:41 am