I'm morbidly fascinated by this disaster and what actually went on, what former Soviet tried to cover up before Pripyat became the ghost town we know today. Some elk and reindeer populations in Sweden and Norway are still, 30 years later, not deemed suitable for human food due to the Cesium-137 radiation that has a half life of ~30 years. We had radioactive rainfall over Scandinavia and the rest of Europe, and it was particularly enriched in these populations probably because lichen and mushrooms soaked up a lot of it -- food for these animals. So today the radiation since the days after the event are only halved.
The show feels realistic. Out of curiosity, I -- like I guess many others here -- have learnt a few things about radiation poisioning and everything seemed to be illustrated well enough. The almost immediate effects of extreme radiation was there, from being lethal within minutes as they literally stared into death to lethal within hours where the levels were still absolutely off the chart. The documented events where people watched the spectacular atmospheric phenomenon were also there. I was shaken by the kids dancing in the radioactive ash that fell like snow and the medical staff collapsing themselves as they carried dying firemen.
I can't wait to see what happens next. It feels like an old Soviet era lid is lifted off. The actual "truth" has been documented, but mostly just as dry text. It's funny because this disaster is still relevant. I think we need to stare this disaster in its face and I'm happy this show is giving us the opportunity to do so, if not for everyone who gave their lives in its aftermath.
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u/jugalator May 08 '19 edited May 08 '19
I'm morbidly fascinated by this disaster and what actually went on, what former Soviet tried to cover up before Pripyat became the ghost town we know today. Some elk and reindeer populations in Sweden and Norway are still, 30 years later, not deemed suitable for human food due to the Cesium-137 radiation that has a half life of ~30 years. We had radioactive rainfall over Scandinavia and the rest of Europe, and it was particularly enriched in these populations probably because lichen and mushrooms soaked up a lot of it -- food for these animals. So today the radiation since the days after the event are only halved.
The show feels realistic. Out of curiosity, I -- like I guess many others here -- have learnt a few things about radiation poisioning and everything seemed to be illustrated well enough. The almost immediate effects of extreme radiation was there, from being lethal within minutes as they literally stared into death to lethal within hours where the levels were still absolutely off the chart. The documented events where people watched the spectacular atmospheric phenomenon were also there. I was shaken by the kids dancing in the radioactive ash that fell like snow and the medical staff collapsing themselves as they carried dying firemen.
I can't wait to see what happens next. It feels like an old Soviet era lid is lifted off. The actual "truth" has been documented, but mostly just as dry text. It's funny because this disaster is still relevant. I think we need to stare this disaster in its face and I'm happy this show is giving us the opportunity to do so, if not for everyone who gave their lives in its aftermath.