What Really Happened in the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster? | Britannica

Harrowing footage shows helicopter crashing over Chernobyl's core reactor in 1986

🧠 on Instagram: "This footage is from a 1996 visit to the Chernobyl “Elephant’s Foot,” the highly radioactive mass formed during the 1986 meltdown. Even though it was once lethal enough to kill within minutes, by the mid-90s its radiation had decayed enough for VERY brief, controlled visits. The mass mostly emits alpha particles, which can’t penetrate skin but are extremely dangerous if inhaled, so the crew kept their exposure short and stayed in ventilated areas. Earlier cameras from 1986 woul