Summary of Documental HD - CHERNOBYL (National Geographic)

00:00:00 - 00:40:00

The documentary, "Documental HD - CHERNOBYL (National Geographic)," discusses the history of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and the ongoing clean-up effort. It describes the dangers of nuclear radiation and the challenges of cleaning up the site. The director of the project estimates the cost of the clean-up at four billion euros, while encountering new problems every step of the way.

• 00:00:00 Thirty years after the Chernobyl disaster, National Geographic filmmakers follow the human and environmental consequences of the world's first nuclear accident. The effects of the explosion, radiation, and contamination are still being felt today.
• 00:05:00 Since 1990, Germany has ceased operating its nuclear power plants despite having some of the world's highest safety standards. Dismantling nuclear power plants is a colossal effort that involves removing the mass of one nuclear reactor—containing a weight of 1 million 800,000 tons—from the ground. Only 35 percent of this mass is contaminated or is suspected of being contaminated. This Soviet-style nuclear reactor was built during the Cold War period and is similar to Chernobyl. Shortly after the German reunification, all operations at the plants were closed due to safety concerns. Over the last 20 years, 700 engineers have worked dismantling Chernobyl without a clear end in sight. Ukraine three decades later experienced the worst nuclear accident in history. Around 130,000 square kilometers of land in Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia were affected by the Chernobyl disaster of 1986. At the time, 5 million people lived in that area. Today, the radio range of the restricted area is only 30 kilometers. A special permit is required to travel beyond designated points. Vladimir Putin was called to the scene of the accident as an assistant and continues to be afraid there today. When the situation became alarming, everyone felt alone. Liquidators, who are responsible for removing the
• 00:10:00 The documentary, "Documental HD - CHERNOBYL (National Geographic)," follows the efforts by experts to clean up the Chernobyl nuclear accident site after a reactor blew up, releasing highly radioactive material. Since the material was spread over an area of over 10,000 square kilometers, it was difficult to clean up. The first expedition to the site, led by Sergei Consell and his camera, is still alive in the memory of those involved. The first attempt to build a movable platform to reach the reactor core failed, and it was not until 2012 that a new, more sophisticated platform was built. The project cost over two billion euros and was funded by the European Union and the United States. Since the material was spread over an area of over 10,000 square kilometers, it was difficult to clean up. The documentary follows the efforts of experts to clean up the site. The wind and rain constantly brings down debris from the outside and the highly radioactive material from the reactor core makes the construction site the most dangerous in the world. The old cover of the reactor was subject to instability due to processes of dissolution. In the rain and wind, it falls apart. The cover's protective function is no longer reliable.
• 00:15:00 Each year, the mountain of highly radioactive waste continues to grow, reaching a total of 12,000 metric tons. However, finding a permanent storage solution for this material has yet to be solved. An old mine in southern Germany served as a safe place for storing radioactive materials, but forty years later, it has become a nuclear threat due to the unstable rock surrounding it. The mine's risk of collapsing is pressuring the mine over its walls and ceilings, and some of the first containers used for radioactive waste storage are starting to break. We know that it's possible that containers storing radioactive materials are severely damaged, and water is seeping into old storage areas while radioactive materials escape and contaminate water. The total collapse of the Chernobyl mine is only a matter of time. 126,000 barrels of radioactive waste must be retrieved from the sealed tunnels. excavations have two important functions: they allow us to study the atmosphere of the mine, and they allow us to obtain readings from the mine's radar, which describe the mine's mechanical properties with precision. This gives me the security that the rock will not fall from the mine or collapse in other areas. We must also be prepared for the possibility of a violent storm, heavy rain,
• 00:20:00 In 1986, a nuclear disaster occurred at the Chernobyl plant in Soviet Ukraine. As a result, the area surrounding the plant became radioactive and uninhabitable. Today, the plant's reactor is still deteriorating, and it is estimated that it will eventually fall down. The documentary presents the history of the Chernobyl disaster and its effects on the people of Pripyat.
• 00:25:00 In 1986, a nuclear disaster occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, releasing vast amounts of radiation into the environment. For decades afterwards, many survivors have had to deal with the health effects of this exposure, including cancer. This video documents the efforts of a group of scientists and engineers sent to the plant to try and contain the fallout. Many of the workers who risked their lives to contain the radiation have since died from cancer, and their children have also been affected.
• 00:30:00 The documentary, "Documental HD - CHERNOBYL (National Geographic)," covers the history of Chernobyl and the ongoing clean-up effort. It discusses the dangers of nuclear radiation and the challenges of cleaning up the site. The director of the project estimates the cost of the clean-up at four billion euros, while encountering new problems every step of the way. The documentary also covers the dangers of storing nuclear material in open areas, and discusses measures to protect the public and the environment.
• 00:35:00 The Chernobyl disaster was one of the worst nuclear disasters in history, leaving around 4,300 square kilometers of land uninhabitable for centuries. In the documentary, people talk about the long-term effects of the radiation on their health and the economy. One man has had to have his leg amputated because of the radiation and many people who used to live near Chernobyl no longer do because the radiation has made their homes uninhabitable. There is a store that comes to the area every Thursday and tries to sell people things they need, but they charge twice as much as usual. The state has allowed some people to return to the restricted zone, but the prices of food and medical services are high. Some people have refused to return to the area even though it is their home.
• 00:40:00 The documentary, "Documental HD - CHERNOBYL (National Geographic)," describes the construction of the 2000-meter-high sarcophagus that will be used to move the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in order to prevent a radiation release. The first attempt to move the sarcophagus fails, but the second attempt is successful and the sarcophagus is placed on the reactor. The documentary also highlights the risks of building nuclear reactors and the importance of keeping the Chernobyl disaster under control.