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NUCLEAR DISASTER

Short answer: On April 26, 1986, Reactor 4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded and burned, in the Soviet Union's Ukrainian SSR, now The Ukraine. During the accident, molten fuel, cladding, concrete and sand mixed into a lava-like material called corium that flowed into rooms beneath the reactor.

The best-known mass, the Elephant's Foot, was found in December 1986 in a maintenance corridor below the reactor's remains. Measurements then put its surface at roughly 8,000 to 10,000 roentgens per hour, enough to deliver a 50/50 lethal dose in a matter of minutes. Its radioactivity has fallen a great deal since, but it remains hazardous, and the site sits inside the New Safe Confinement arch completed in 2016. The footage shows photos from inside the plant and the corium mass.

VideoWrite-up2 sources

In collections:The Nuclear Age

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What should you know about NUCLEAR DISASTER?

Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.

  1. Chernobyl's Reactor 4 exploded on April 26, 1986.

    DD-297-F01 · Write-up · Exhibit A (April 26, 1986)

  2. The Elephant's Foot is a mass of corium.

    DD-297-F02 · Write-up · Exhibit C (Found in December 1986)

Video transcript: NUCLEAR DISASTER: Under Chernobyl's Reactor 4 Sits a Mass of Solidified Corium

DID YOU KNOW? The Chernobyl disaster in 1986 resulted in the catastrophic meltdown of reactor 4 at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. One of the most infamous remnants of this disaster is the Elephant's Foot, a massive highly radioactive mass of corium and other materials that formed beneath the reactor. Resembling the rough texture and shape of an elephant's foot this deadly formation was created by the molten nuclear fuel mixing with concrete, sand, and other reactor components. Initially so radioactive that it could deliver a lethal dose in just minutes, the Elephant's Foot remains a potent symbol of the dangers of nuclear power gone awry. Over time its radioactivity has decreased but it still poses a significant hazard. NOW YOU KNOW!

Burned-in captions, read frame by frame (see transcript.md) · 35.2s Reel ·

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NUCLEAR DISASTER: Under Chernobyl's Reactor 4 Sits a Mass of Solidified Corium Instagram Reel · · 35.2s

The write-up

Under Chernobyl's Reactor 4 sits a mass of solidified corium. In December 1986 its surface gave off about 8,000 to 10,000 roentgens an hour.

  1. Exhibit A

    April 26, 1986

    Reactor 4 at Chernobyl exploded on April 26, 1986.

  2. Exhibit B

    Corium

    Molten fuel mixed with concrete and sand into lava-like corium.

  3. Exhibit C

    Found in December 1986

    The Elephant's Foot was found in December 1986 below the reactor.

  4. Exhibit D

    Lethal in minutes

    Its surface then gave off about 8,000 to 10,000 roentgens per hour.

  5. Exhibit E

    Still hazardous

    Its radioactivity has fallen but it remains dangerous.

Questions people ask about NUCLEAR DISASTER

When did Reactor 4 explode?

It was in the Soviet Union at the time.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (April 26, 1986) · Wikipedia: Chernobyl disaster

What is corium?

It flowed like lava.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Corium) · Wikipedia: Elephant's Foot (Chernobyl)

When was the Elephant's Foot found?

It was in a corridor below the reactor.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Found in December 1986) · Wikipedia: Elephant's Foot (Chernobyl)

About how radioactive was its surface then?

Enough for a lethal dose in minutes.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Lethal in minutes) · Wikipedia: Elephant's Foot (Chernobyl)

Is it still hazardous?

Radioactivity has fallen over time.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Still hazardous) · Wikipedia: Elephant's Foot (Chernobyl)

Test Your Knowledge

All quizzes →

5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.

  1. When did Reactor 4 explode?

    1. April 26, 1986
    2. March 11, 2011
    3. March 28, 1979
    4. August 6, 1945
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. April 26, 1986 It was in the Soviet Union at the time. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (April 26, 1986) · Wikipedia: Chernobyl disaster

  2. What is corium?

    1. Molten fuel mixed with other materials
    2. A type of coolant
    3. A Soviet alloy
    4. A radiation shield
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Molten fuel mixed with other materials It flowed like lava. Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Corium) · Wikipedia: Elephant's Foot (Chernobyl)

  3. When was the Elephant's Foot found?

    1. December 1986
    2. April 1986
    3. 1996
    4. 2016
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. December 1986 It was in a corridor below the reactor. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Found in December 1986) · Wikipedia: Elephant's Foot (Chernobyl)

  4. About how radioactive was its surface then?

    1. 8,000 to 10,000 roentgens per hour
    2. 1 roentgen per hour
    3. 50 roentgens per year
    4. Zero
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. 8,000 to 10,000 roentgens per hour Enough for a lethal dose in minutes. Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Lethal in minutes) · Wikipedia: Elephant's Foot (Chernobyl)

  5. Is it still hazardous?

    1. Yes, though much less radioactive
    2. No, it's safe now
    3. It was removed
    4. It never was
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Yes, though much less radioactive Radioactivity has fallen over time. Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Still hazardous) · Wikipedia: Elephant's Foot (Chernobyl)

Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "NUCLEAR DISASTER." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-297, last updated Aug 12, 2024. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/nuclear-disaster/

Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/nuclear-disaster/ · Last updated

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