WORMWOOD FOREST: A Natural History of Chernobyl
Posted on: Friday, 4 November 2005, 03:00 CST
By Goldberg, Cait
WORMWOOD FOREST: A Natural History of Chernobyl MARY MYCIO Joseph Henry Press, 2005, 259 p., hardcover, $27.95.
The explosion of a nuclear reactor in Chernobyl in 1986 spewed tons of radioactive debris for miles. The area around Chernobyl, including parts of Russia, the Ukraine, and Belarus, was evacuated
. A newspaper reporter of Ukrainian heritage and with a law degree, Mycio visited the zone several times, starting in 1989. The author describes donning protective gear and moving through various hot spots. To her astonishment, she found that wildlife flourished in the area. She explains the nature of the different radioisotopes released in the accident, examines plants for signs of mutations, and catalogs the rare birds and mammals that have repopulated the area. Her final assessment is surprisingly optimistic. Though radioactive, the zone stands in stark contrast to the barren landscape typically envisioned for a postapocalyptic world. Copyright Science Service, Incorporated Oct 15, 2005Source: Science News
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