Introduction
Nuclear disasters can be held responsible for leaving the greatest and longest lasting impacts on an environment. One of the most infamous nuclear disasters in the world’s history would be the Chernobyl Nuclear Explosion. On April 26th, 1986, the 4th reactor of the V.I. Lenin Nuclear Power Plant in Chernobyl, Ukraine exploded, allowing for innumerable amounts of toxic radiation to be spewed into the air. Radioactive contamination was spread over 100,000 square kilometers of land and reached 34 different countries, Ukraine receiving the worst of it (cited by Nelson, 2010, p. 13). Dr. Vladimir M. Chernousenko of the Institute for Theoretical Physics and Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR (1991 p. 1) believed that at the time Chernobyl occurred, that it would be the largest catastrophes known to mankind. Even today, almost 30 years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster occurred, Ukraine has continued to see effects on its livestock and land and will continue to see them for years to come. …show more content…
(2015, p. 93). Although the amount of contamination has greatly dropped since the accident happened 29 years ago, small amounts of radiation can be found within the plants and animals of the surrounding the area. Yablokov (2009) talks about in his conclusion that the species populations around Chernobyl are still showing an array of morphological abnormalities that are not usually found in regular domestic animal populations. With certain radioactive materials like cesium-137, that have the half life of 30 years, will fade away very slowly over time continually affecting Ukraine’s environment (as cited by Nelson, 2010 p. 124). Overall, Ukraine may have suffered a great deal and may continue to see Chernobyl’s affects for years on end, the country has done all that is has to overcome such a
Nuclear disasters can be held responsible for leaving the greatest and longest lasting impacts on an environment. One of the most infamous nuclear disasters in the world’s history would be the Chernobyl Nuclear Explosion. On April 26th, 1986, the 4th reactor of the V.I. Lenin Nuclear Power Plant in Chernobyl, Ukraine exploded, allowing for innumerable amounts of toxic radiation to be spewed into the air. Radioactive contamination was spread over 100,000 square kilometers of land and reached 34 different countries, Ukraine receiving the worst of it (cited by Nelson, 2010, p. 13). Dr. Vladimir M. Chernousenko of the Institute for Theoretical Physics and Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR (1991 p. 1) believed that at the time Chernobyl occurred, that it would be the largest catastrophes known to mankind. Even today, almost 30 years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster occurred, Ukraine has continued to see effects on its livestock and land and will continue to see them for years to come. …show more content…
(2015, p. 93). Although the amount of contamination has greatly dropped since the accident happened 29 years ago, small amounts of radiation can be found within the plants and animals of the surrounding the area. Yablokov (2009) talks about in his conclusion that the species populations around Chernobyl are still showing an array of morphological abnormalities that are not usually found in regular domestic animal populations. With certain radioactive materials like cesium-137, that have the half life of 30 years, will fade away very slowly over time continually affecting Ukraine’s environment (as cited by Nelson, 2010 p. 124). Overall, Ukraine may have suffered a great deal and may continue to see Chernobyl’s affects for years on end, the country has done all that is has to overcome such a