| Back from Chernobyl |
Hi peeps,
I've been having an amazing job related field trip to Chernobyl and the abandoned town of Pripyat - staying in Kiev for a couple of days basically having a great time!
Which ofcourse is in contrast with the fact that my visit there is directly connected to that disastrous event of April 26th 1986 - the most terrible accident in the history of nuclear energy with the most dire consequences...
Still I'd like to share with you these pictures.
Let the images speak for themselves.
Cheers.
I've been having an amazing job related field trip to Chernobyl and the abandoned town of Pripyat - staying in Kiev for a couple of days basically having a great time!
Which ofcourse is in contrast with the fact that my visit there is directly connected to that disastrous event of April 26th 1986 - the most terrible accident in the history of nuclear energy with the most dire consequences...
Still I'd like to share with you these pictures.
Let the images speak for themselves.
Cheers.
Welcome back .... any hair loss yet !
You take some good pictures, apart from that you've taken some very interesting pictures.
One comment ... Stairs(with chair) could be called Stairs with Chairs
So what's with the peeling paint everywhere?
Must have been quite an experience seeing such a ghost town.
Was it one of those trips where they turn around at the end and say "This is what happens when you dont take care at work"?
You take some good pictures, apart from that you've taken some very interesting pictures.
One comment ... Stairs(with chair) could be called Stairs with Chairs
So what's with the peeling paint everywhere?
Must have been quite an experience seeing such a ghost town.
Was it one of those trips where they turn around at the end and say "This is what happens when you dont take care at work"?
very cool pics. some of them drive home the need for rethinking nuclear energy, and are the plants still in operation today, doing everything they can to prevent a catastrophic event from happening in the future.
With the plant in Japan almost having a complete meltdown and releasing radioactive material into the atmosphere. Makes me wonder about the plants not to far from my home, and the ones up and down California which is near a major fault center.
Looks like you had a great work trip. Thanks for posting the pics
With the plant in Japan almost having a complete meltdown and releasing radioactive material into the atmosphere. Makes me wonder about the plants not to far from my home, and the ones up and down California which is near a major fault center.
Looks like you had a great work trip. Thanks for posting the pics
Boaaahh!! Creepy. Spooky. Horrible scenery. 
A couple of month ago I saw a report on TV which showed tourists visiting Chernobyl and the area around, running around with Geiger-counters, photographing the sarcophagus , going out for lunch
and stuff.
Back then I thought by myself : "How crazy must one be to travel freely, at own will to this ( contaminated) part of the world and take a meal up there of regional food?" I told a friend and he sreamed with laughter spontaniously. Really crazy......he couldnīt believe.
Now I see you also travelling up there. OK, itīs part of ya job, but to me itīs still creepy and terrifying what Iīve seen on ya pics.
I hope youīre not glowing in the dark, Puppet Simpson.
Tic.............................................tic......................................tic................tic..........tic......tic....tic..tic.ticticticitic
U.L.I.
A couple of month ago I saw a report on TV which showed tourists visiting Chernobyl and the area around, running around with Geiger-counters, photographing the sarcophagus , going out for lunch
and stuff.Back then I thought by myself : "How crazy must one be to travel freely, at own will to this ( contaminated) part of the world and take a meal up there of regional food?" I told a friend and he sreamed with laughter spontaniously. Really crazy......he couldnīt believe.
Now I see you also travelling up there.
OK, itīs part of ya job, but to me itīs still creepy and terrifying what Iīve seen on ya pics. I hope youīre not glowing in the dark, Puppet Simpson.
Tic.............................................tic......................................tic................tic..........tic......tic....tic..tic.ticticticitic
U.L.I.
very impressive and sad pics, PX. Good to know you're back
kings wrote…
Welcome back .... any hair loss yet !
You take some good pictures, apart from that you've taken some very interesting pictures.
One comment ... Stairs(with chair) could be called Stairs with Chairs
So what's with the peeling paint everywhere?
Must have been quite an experience seeing such a ghost town.
Was it one of those trips where they turn around at the end and say "This is what happens when you dont take care at work"?
Ah yes there are indeed TWO chairs in that pic, I failed to spot the one
changed the text nowThe paint is peeling as the elements get free play. No windows, not heating, no airco - add moist and shifting temperatures and no maintenance for 25 years, this is what you get.
I hear the rents are really low, though.
toastedgoat wrote…
very cool pics. some of them drive home the need for rethinking nuclear energy, and are the plants still in operation today, doing everything they can to prevent a catastrophic event from happening in the future.
With the plant in Japan almost having a complete meltdown and releasing radioactive material into the atmosphere. Makes me wonder about the plants not to far from my home, and the ones up and down California which is near a major fault center.
Looks like you had a great work trip. Thanks for posting the pics
Yes, the burden of nuclear responsibility is evident. Not just the city had to be abandoned, but dozens of villages were literally levelled and buried - wiped off the map. All these people lost their homes and had to start all over somewhere.
Understandably, there was a special corner for Fukushima at the Chernobyl museum, even though the magnitude of that event isn't nearly as high.
ULI wrote…
Boaaahh!! Creepy. Spooky. Horrible scenery.
A couple of month ago I saw a report on TV which showed tourists visiting Chernobyl and the area around, running around with Geiger-counters, photographing the sarcophagus , going out for lunch and stuff.
Back then I thought by myself : "How crazy must one be to travel freely, at own will to this ( contaminated) part of the world and take a meal up there of regional food?" I told a friend and he sreamed with laughter spontaniously. Really crazy......he couldnīt believe.
Now I see you also travelling up there. OK, itīs part of ya job, but to me itīs still creepy and terrifying what Iīve seen on ya pics.
I hope youīre not glowing in the dark, Puppet Simpson.
Tic.............................................tic......................................tic................tic..........tic......tic....tic..tic.ticticticitic
U.L.I.
Radiation levels are safe, the risks of contamination virtually not present, if taken the correct precautions, which basically means, stick to walking around and taking pictures, but do not take "souvenirs", and don't eat anything out of the wild.
The lunch was made from imported goods (from the farmlands outside the exclusion zone).
It was quite an experience, I am still processing much of it.
And we all glow in the dark. In infrared
TritonKeyboarder wrote…
very impressive and sad pics, PX. Good to know you're back
Thanks. I hope your gig went well! It was in the same weekend, was it not?
when I watched a documentary a while ago I visualized that once the whole world would look like this, had that this morning when I watched your pictures too, had it with me all day, so I can believe you are still processing this.
very impressive indeed!
tnx for sharing
very impressive indeed!
tnx for sharing
Must of been quite an experience, I personally endeavor to visit Chernobyl myself one day.
From documentaries and reports I have read, I heard that there are lots of domestic cats (EDIT: just saw the last photo now) living there and some mutated vegetation... did you see any of this?
Apart from the ghost town scenery, the most haunting site for me was seeing the rescue and construction vehicle junkyard, where they left all the (what was then) new equipment and vehicles once they finished the sarcophagus.
Also seeing the pictures of the mall really reminds you how recently this disaster happened.
The sarcophagus has to contain the nuclear radiation for hundreds of years, unfortunately it will need to be repaired/rebuilt soon... happy to see that you didn't measure any dangerously high radiation levels though.
From documentaries and reports I have read, I heard that there are lots of domestic cats (EDIT: just saw the last photo now) living there and some mutated vegetation... did you see any of this?
Apart from the ghost town scenery, the most haunting site for me was seeing the rescue and construction vehicle junkyard, where they left all the (what was then) new equipment and vehicles once they finished the sarcophagus.
Also seeing the pictures of the mall really reminds you how recently this disaster happened.
The sarcophagus has to contain the nuclear radiation for hundreds of years, unfortunately it will need to be repaired/rebuilt soon... happy to see that you didn't measure any dangerously high radiation levels though.
My first thought when I saw the paint was whether it had something to do with radiation, some kind of reaction .... but then I also realised it was a reaction to time and the natural elements.
The "kinda pointless shot but the desolation speaks for itself" picture did make me wonder about the wild life ... especially birds.
Did you stand and listen? What does it sound like there?
What do the cats live on ? I always thought rats were immune to nuclear radiation. I didnt realise cats were too
The "kinda pointless shot but the desolation speaks for itself" picture did make me wonder about the wild life ... especially birds.
Did you stand and listen? What does it sound like there?
What do the cats live on ? I always thought rats were immune to nuclear radiation. I didnt realise cats were too
MaxdB wrote…
when I watched a documentary a while ago I visualized that once the whole world would look like this, had that this morning when I watched your pictures too, had it with me all day, so I can believe you are still processing this.
very impressive indeed!
tnx for sharing
There is a documentary - I think it's called Life after People, it briefly uses Pripyat as an example. You can find it on YouTube, it's well worth watching!
Marino wrote…
ha..awesome pics PX!!!!!!!
Thanks - proud to have been there, but the drama behind these pictures is intense...
Chill wrote…
Must of been quite an experience, I personally endeavor to visit Chernobyl myself one day.
From documentaries and reports I have read, I heard that there are lots of domestic cats (EDIT: just saw the last photo now) living there and some mutated vegetation... did you see any of this?
Apart from the ghost town scenery, the most haunting site for me was seeing the rescue and construction vehicle junkyard, where they left all the (what was then) new equipment and vehicles once they finished the sarcophagus.
Also seeing the pictures of the mall really reminds you how recently this disaster happened.
The sarcophagus has to contain the nuclear radiation for hundreds of years, unfortunately it will need to be repaired/rebuilt soon... happy to see that you didn't measure any dangerously high radiation levels though.
There are indeed lots of wild cats, I've got a couple on pic (not just that final photo). There is a pine mutation prevalent only in the exclusion zone, thicker needles and a different branching pattern, but it's hard to attribute that to the radiation. Mutations take place always and everywhere - the radiation does increase the mutation rate, but all mutations are random. There was a sample of this pine at the Chernobyl museum in Kiev.
There is a new sarcophagus under construction; a series of concrete archs that will be placed over the entire building, covering it entirely (thus removing it from view). These archs are being constructed 100m away and will be slid over the building via rails. If you want to see the old building, you'd better try and arrange to go there before the end of next year.
kings wrote…
My first thought when I saw the paint was whether it had something to do with radiation, some kind of reaction .... but then I also realised it was a reaction to time and the natural elements.
The "kinda pointless shot but the desolation speaks for itself" picture did make me wonder about the wild life ... especially birds.
Did you stand and listen? What does it sound like there?
What do the cats live on ? I always thought rats were immune to nuclear radiation. I didnt realise cats were too
Nature prevails; also 3500 people still work in the area (military personnel, scientists and maintenance operators at the power plant, other maintenance and logistics workers...) and there are also around 150 "self-settlers" who choose to live in the exclusion zone, being completely self-sufficient. They are not to leave the area, as they grow their own food and are thus internally contaminated. However, they do not seem to suffer from any radiation related health problems. They do have access to medical care via the military stationed there.
Yes there are birds... And cats... And dogs... And boars and deer and even wolves. We didn't spot those, but birds are like any other birds anywhere in the world. And the animals live and eat the way they normally do - cats eating rodents and small birds... etc. There is no immunity to radiation, but once again the levels are below immediate hazard thresh, one could speculate on an increased rate of mutation so a faster evolution and a slightly higher prevalence of cancer, but from what I understand the latter is really hard to statistically determine, and the first not at all - 25 years is too short to see strong evolutionary changes.
PuppetXeno wrote…
MaxdB wrote…
when I watched a documentary a while ago I visualized that once the whole world would look like this, had that this morning when I watched your pictures too, had it with me all day, so I can believe you are still processing this.
very impressive indeed!
tnx for sharing
There is a documentary - I think it's called Life after People, it briefly uses Pripyat as an example. You can find it on YouTube, it's well worth watching!Marino wrote…
ha..awesome pics PX!!!!!!!
Thanks - proud to have been there, but the drama behind these pictures is intense...Chill wrote…
Must of been quite an experience, I personally endeavor to visit Chernobyl myself one day.
From documentaries and reports I have read, I heard that there are lots of domestic cats (EDIT: just saw the last photo now) living there and some mutated vegetation... did you see any of this?
Apart from the ghost town scenery, the most haunting site for me was seeing the rescue and construction vehicle junkyard, where they left all the (what was then) new equipment and vehicles once they finished the sarcophagus.
Also seeing the pictures of the mall really reminds you how recently this disaster happened.
The sarcophagus has to contain the nuclear radiation for hundreds of years, unfortunately it will need to be repaired/rebuilt soon... happy to see that you didn't measure any dangerously high radiation levels though.
There are indeed lots of wild cats, I've got a couple on pic (not just that final photo). There is a pine mutation prevalent only in the exclusion zone, thicker needles and a different branching pattern, but it's hard to attribute that to the radiation. Mutations take place always and everywhere - the radiation does increase the mutation rate, but all mutations are random. There was a sample of this pine at the Chernobyl museum in Kiev.
There is a new sarcophagus under construction; a series of concrete archs that will be placed over the entire building, covering it entirely (thus removing it from view). These archs are being constructed 100m away and will be slid over the building via rails. If you want to see the old building, you'd better try and arrange to go there before the end of next year.kings wrote…
My first thought when I saw the paint was whether it had something to do with radiation, some kind of reaction .... but then I also realised it was a reaction to time and the natural elements.
The "kinda pointless shot but the desolation speaks for itself" picture did make me wonder about the wild life ... especially birds.
Did you stand and listen? What does it sound like there?
What do the cats live on ? I always thought rats were immune to nuclear radiation. I didnt realise cats were too
Nature prevails; also 3500 people still work in the area (military personnel, scientists and maintenance operators at the power plant, other maintenance and logistics workers...) and there are also around 150 "self-settlers" who choose to live in the exclusion zone, being completely self-sufficient. They are not to leave the area, as they grow their own food and are thus internally contaminated. However, they do not seem to suffer from any radiation related health problems. They do have access to medical care via the military stationed there.
Yes there are birds... And cats... And dogs... And boars and deer and even wolves. We didn't spot those, but birds are like any other birds anywhere in the world. And the animals live and eat the way they normally do - cats eating rodents and small birds... etc. There is no immunity to radiation, but once again the levels are below immediate hazard thresh, one could speculate on an increased rate of mutation so a faster evolution and a slightly higher prevalence of cancer, but from what I understand the latter is really hard to statistically determine, and the first not at all - 25 years is too short to see strong evolutionary changes.
post a real apocalypse .......
looks peaceful ..... but the anguish caused .... horrific!!!
keep safe
fish
Man. That must been such an incredible experience. I am definitely jealous of you, PX.
wow! thos are some seriously powerful photos! Totally apocalyptic! Reminds me sort of like half-life. or any sort of sci-fi tv show.
That would actually be a really cool trip, although I might be slightly worried about getting contaminated or something.
That would actually be a really cool trip, although I might be slightly worried about getting contaminated or something.
| amazing pics PX |
We just got back from Japan we made it as far north as Tokyo ...pretty scary stuff they seem to be finding it (radiation) everywhere.I realized I knew nothing about acceptable levels, and the Japanese Govt is trying to deter people from getting devices and measuring them selves the logic being that the hand held devices are inaccurate.
There are some pretty pissed people there right now "Our Govt is not protecting us". The young cabinet minister who was given the bums rush out the door due to his ill timed Joke with media after visiting Fukishima .."Watch out you'll catch radiation off me" & "Fukishima is a death town" was unfortunately painted as the insensitive Villain . What wasn't reported was the sentence he said after the death town comment which was "& that's something we're going to change" .
His support base is primary producers and farmers who lost their prime food producing land to the disaster.
The atmosphere straight after the quake was .. we're getting rid of these Reactors built on fault lines but now this is being watered down as Tepco the electric company play for time with compensation etc treadmill and are stacking committees with their acolytes.
It;s now been revealed That Tepco has overcharged is customers $630 billion over the past 10 years . The money was based on their fiscal projections which included the upgrading of these ageing reactors and infrastructure ...which just didn't happen.
Fukishima was supposed to be decommissioned last year ...I mean it's like when was the last time you flew in a 40 yr old aeroplane ...how about a using a 40 yr old fridge.
Ironically the reactors at Fukishima were supplied by the U.S.
Australia supplied about 33% of the uranium and believe me Australia is feeling like a Quarry for the world at present.
The Aboriginals rights here are pushed aside when it comes to Mining interests.Basically their Dreamtime legends told them to leave it in the ground because when you take it out you'll get Sick.
In closing I would like to refer to Steven Hawkins comment which goes something like "Maybe the test of the human race will be whether we survive the first 200 yrs after using atomic energy."
There are some pretty pissed people there right now "Our Govt is not protecting us". The young cabinet minister who was given the bums rush out the door due to his ill timed Joke with media after visiting Fukishima .."Watch out you'll catch radiation off me" & "Fukishima is a death town" was unfortunately painted as the insensitive Villain . What wasn't reported was the sentence he said after the death town comment which was "& that's something we're going to change" .
His support base is primary producers and farmers who lost their prime food producing land to the disaster.
The atmosphere straight after the quake was .. we're getting rid of these Reactors built on fault lines but now this is being watered down as Tepco the electric company play for time with compensation etc treadmill and are stacking committees with their acolytes.
It;s now been revealed That Tepco has overcharged is customers $630 billion over the past 10 years . The money was based on their fiscal projections which included the upgrading of these ageing reactors and infrastructure ...which just didn't happen.
Fukishima was supposed to be decommissioned last year ...I mean it's like when was the last time you flew in a 40 yr old aeroplane ...how about a using a 40 yr old fridge.
Ironically the reactors at Fukishima were supplied by the U.S.
Australia supplied about 33% of the uranium and believe me Australia is feeling like a Quarry for the world at present.
The Aboriginals rights here are pushed aside when it comes to Mining interests.Basically their Dreamtime legends told them to leave it in the ground because when you take it out you'll get Sick.
In closing I would like to refer to Steven Hawkins comment which goes something like "Maybe the test of the human race will be whether we survive the first 200 yrs after using atomic energy."
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