13 Places On Earth So Radioactive, They're Off-Limits To Humans
Amid rising global conflict like the Russia-Ukraine war, concerns about nuclear weapons and radioactivity have intensified. While radioactivity occurs naturally, human actions-nuclear tests, power generation, and accidents-have created dangerously radioactive hotspots. These areas pose severe health risks. Though everyday life includes minor radiation exposure, it's nothing compared to the deadly levels found in the world's most radioactive places-where no one should live or linger.
According to a report by The Metro, here are some of the most radioactive places on Earth - though the list is not exhaustive or ranked in any particular order.
1. Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant(Location: Pripyat, Ukraine): A 1986 accident released radioactive materials, exposing millions to fallout and causing health issues.
2. Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant (Location: Fukushima, Japan): A 2011 earthquake and tsunami caused radioactive leaks and waste spills into the Pacific Ocean.
3. The Hanford Site (Location: Washington, USA): A US nuclear facility produced plutonium for nuclear weapons, leaving behind massive amounts of radioactive waste.
4. The Polygon (Location: Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan): A Soviet nuclear test site in Kazakhstan, where 456 bombs were dropped, affecting local residents with cancer and genetic defects.
5. Mailuu-Suu, Kyrgyzstan: Soviet uranium mining contaminated the area, leaving behind radioactive waste and health issues for locals.
6. Siberian Chemical Combine (Location: Seversk, Russia): A Russian nuclear facility had a 1993 accident, releasing radioactive materials and affecting 177,000 people.
7. Sellafield (Location: Cumbria, UK): A UK nuclear facility produces nuclear materials and releases contaminated waste into the Irish Sea.
8. The Somali Coast (Somalia): A dumping ground for nuclear and hazardous waste, posing environmental and health risks.
9. Karunagappalli, India: High background radiation from thorium in the soil, but no increased cancer rates found.
10. BOMARC Site RW-01: A US Air Force base with a 1960 nuclear accident, contaminating the area with plutonium.
11. Church Rock Uranium Mill(Location: New Jersey, USA): A 1979 spill released radioactive waste into the Puerco River, affecting locals and livestock.
12. Kyshtym Disaster (Location: Mayak, Russia): A 1957 nuclear accident in Russia released radioactive waste, contaminating a large area.
13. The Goiânia Incident (Location: Goias, Brazil): A 1987 theft of a radioactive source in Brazil caused four deaths and widespread contamination.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Chicken and egg — and duck too
Here at Problematics we usually aim for puzzles that are not the kind you would find in a textbook, but there are exceptions. Some puzzles that can be solved with textbook methods are still interesting because of the way they are packaged or because of their pedigree, with illustrious minds having dwelt on them at some point in history. A prime example of puzzles that are delightful because of both packaging and pedigree are the problems in Bhaskara's Lilavati. While those are widely known, I recently found one that I hadn't come across earlier. It is said to have appeared in a book by the great Euler, and described by the French writer Stendhal before making its way into the writings of the late Russian mathematician Yakov Perelman. To insulate the solution from an internet search, I have added my customary modifications to the version described by Perelman. I have changed the currency to Indian rupees, and tinkered with the prices to bring them within a range that is credible for the story into which I have packaged my adaptation. The story, of course, is entirely my own. #Puzzle 145.1 A family of poultry farmers collects 100 eggs one morning. They are all chicken and duck eggs, the distribution being unequal. Handing the chicken eggs to their son and the duck eggs to their daughter, the farmer parents send them off to the market. The price for each kind is fixed, with the duck eggs being costlier than chicken eggs, as is the case in most places. Each child sells his or her full share of eggs at the respective fixed rates. In the evening, when they compare their earnings, they are thrilled to find that both have made exactly the same amount. I am no farmer, but the internet tells me that hens and ducks lay about one egg daily at the peak of their productive years. It is not surprising, therefore, that the same birds at our farm lay the same number of eggs the following morning. In other words, the family has 100 eggs again, and the unequal distribution of chicken and duck eggs is the same as on the previous day. Mother segregates the produce into a number of baskets, the chicken eggs on one side, the duck eggs on another. Father passes the orders: 'Pick up your respective shares and come back with the same earnings as you did yesterday.' The kids get mixed up, of course (how else would there be a puzzle?) The son picks up the duck eggs by mistake, and the daughter takes the rest. Neither of them notices that his or her count is not the same as on the previous day. At the market, the boy sells the duck eggs at the price for chicken eggs, and his sister sells the chicken eggs at the price for duck eggs. When they compare their earnings in the evening, the boy is alarmed. 'I got only ₹280 today. I don't know how I can explain this to Father,' he says. The girl is equally puzzled about her collection, but pleasantly so. 'I don't know how, but my earnings rose to ₹630 today,' she tells her brother. #Puzzle 145.2 MAILBOX: LAST WEEK'S SOLVERS Hi Kabir, Assuming that the store owner initially bought cat food for 31 cats for N days, or 31N cans. As each cat consumes 1 can/day, the total consumption reduces by 1 can every day. Again, all cans were consumed in one day less than twice the number of days originally planned, or (2N – 1) days. Thus the total number of cans is the sum of an arithmetic progression of (2N – 1) terms starting 31, and with a common difference of –1. The sum of the AP is: [(2N – 1)/2][2*31 + (2N – 1 – 1) (–1)] = 65N – 32 – 2N² Equating the above to 31N and simplifying, we get the equation 2N² – 34N + 32 = 0. The roots of this equation are N = 16 and 1. As 1 day is not viable, N must be 16. So the total number of cans bought initially = 31*16 = 496. And as it took (2N –1) = 31 days to finish the whole stock of food, only 1 cat was left unsold. — Anil Khanna, Ghaziabad *** Hi Kabir, Suppose the cat food was initially ordered for N days. Then, the number of cans ordered = 31N. Also, suppose K is the number of cats remaining unsold when the food stock got exhausted. On any day, the number of cans consumed is the equal to total number of unsold cats. Thus the total cans consumed = 31 + 30 + 29… + (K + 2) + (K + 1) + K = (31 + K)(31 – K + 1)/2 i.e. 31N = (31 + K)(31 – K + 1)/2 For the right-hand side to be a multiple of 31, K has to be 1. This means 31N = 32*31/2, or N = 16. The number of cans = 31 x 16 = 496. The food lasted for 31 days. If we add one more day, we get 32 days which is twice the original period of 16 days. — Professor Anshul Kumar, Delhi From Professor Kumar's approach, it emerges that the puzzle can be solved even without the information about the cans being exhausted in (2N – 1) days. Many readers, however, have used this bit in solving the puzzle. Puzzle #144.2 Hi Kabir, The puzzle about the party trick is fairly simple — you randomly tap on any two animal names for the first and second taps and then tap in the order of length of the animal names — i.e. COW (third tap), LION, HORSE, MONKEY, OSTRICH, ELEPHANT, BUTTERFLY AND RHINOCEROS. Obviously, this trick will get old very soon because your tapping pattern will become predictable to a keen observer. — Abhinav Mital, Singapore Solved both puzzles: Anil Khanna (Ghaziabad), Professor Anshul Kumar (Delhi), Abhinav Mital (Singapore), Kanwarjit Singh (Chief Commissioner of Income-tax, retd), Dr Sunita Gupta (Delhi), Yadvendra Somra (Sonipat), Shishir Gupta (Indore), Ajay Ashok (Delhi), YK Munjal (Delhi), Sampath Kumar V (Coimbatore) Solved #Puzzle 144.1: Vinod Mahajan (Delhi)
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Time of India
‘UP emerges as backbone of India's defence sector'
Lucknow: Crediting the Modi-Yogi leadership for transforming the state into a hub of military manufacturing and exports, Sarojininagar MLA Rajeshwar Singh on Sunday said that Uttar Pradesh is emerging as the backbone of India's defence sector. Sharing insights on platform X, Singh said, "From rifles to rockets, UP is forging India's defence future. Our state is now a symbol of self-reliance, innovation, and global impact." The state hosts seven ordnance factories, three HAL units, and two Indo-Russian ventures — the AK-203 rifle unit in Amethi and the BrahMos missile facility in Lucknow. Six Defence Corridor nodes, three testing beds, South Asia's largest arms complex (Adani Defence, Kanpur), and the country's first strategic materials complex (PTC Industries, Lucknow) further underline UP's strategic importance. Global players like MKU Limited and Lohia Aerospace from Kanpur export to over 100 countries, reinforcing UP's position in the international defence supply chain. Singh hailed this as a hallmark of Aatmanirbhar Bharat , saying, "Under PM Modi and CM Yogi, UP is not only securing India but also generating jobs, driving innovation, and placing the state on the global defence map."
NDTV
20 hours ago
- NDTV
"Gaganyaan Just Beginning": Astronaut Angad Pratap On India's Space Future
New Delhi: As India embarks on its ambitious Gaganyaan program, the journey of its astronaut designates offers a glimpse into the nation's future in human spaceflight. Among them is Group Captain Angad Pratap, a fighter pilot and test pilot of the highest order, who shared his experiences and insights into the rigorous training and the promise of India's space endeavours. The journey began in January 2020 when Mr Pratap and three other astronaut designates were selected for the prestigious Gaganyaan program, which is scheduled for launch early in 2027. "It's been a long journey till now. It's been five years. We trained for approximately 14 months at Russia's Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre, a place steeped in history and tradition. We were trained as cosmonauts in the Soyuz spacecraft and we had a bit of format training on the Russian segment of the International Space Station as well." After completing their training in Russia, the astronauts returned to India for another round of training at the astronaut training facility in Bangalore. "We have been trained on the human-rated launch vehicle, the basic theoretical subjects related to astronautics, as well as the Gaganyaan spacecraft," Me Pratap explained. "A portion of which is remaining, which we will restart closer to the mission." Reflecting on his experience at the Russian training school, Mr Pratap described it as "wonderful to begin with because that is a place with five decades of legacy". He noted the significance of training at a facility where astronauts from around the world have honed their skills. "From 2011 till about 2020, all astronauts of the world had to come to Moscow to train, since Soyuz was the only vehicle flying to space back then," he said. Standing beside a scale model of the crew module, Mr Pratap expressed confidence in the development of the actual spacecraft at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and the UR Rao Satellite Centre. "There is no denying the fact that not only me but all the other three astronauts as well-and I can say this for the entire space community-ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) has a very big name in the world of space," Mr Pratap added. He cited ISRO's achievements, including the Mars Orbiter Mission and Chandrayaan-3, as examples of the agency's credibility. "There has to be a great level of trust between a space traveller and his agency. Being a test pilot, I'm aware of the kind of testing protocols and how robust they are before a final product is cleared for spaceflight." The astronaut designates have visited major ISRO testing facilities, which Mr Pratap said has been a major confidence booster. "It's worked as a very big confidence-building measure and a boost to our trust in the vehicle." Mr Pratap also expressed satisfaction with the human-rated Launch Vehicle Mark-3, which is nearing completion. "I am more than happy. In aerospace, we don't go for big changes very soon. If a system is already proven and working, you don't change it just for comfort. Changes introduce new failure points." He emphasised that ISRO has wisely chosen to rely on its most robust and tested systems for the Gaganyaan mission. "And when it comes to the GSLV Mk3, or LVM-3, the whole world has immense trust in it. It has an enviable 100 per cent success record." Despite the long wait for a flight assignment, Mr Pratap remains grounded and patient. "Spaceflight takes time. We were awarded our space wings just last year. Globally, astronauts wait five to six years after that. Thomas Pesquet waited almost eight years," he noted. He added, "Anyone who wants to be an astronaut must accept that most of their 15-year astronaut career will be spent on Earth, working for science. It's not just about the flight. It's about patience, training, and character building." Mr Pratap and his fellow astronaut designates continue to keep their training sharp through regular technical meetings with ISRO and occasional flying stints with the Indian Air Force. "We go back to IAF once in a while and fly. Our engagement with ISRO includes regular interaction with designers and hardware developers. So both our piloting and test piloting skills are being maintained." Looking ahead, Mr Pratap is optimistic about India's broader space ambitions. "We need to think as Indians first and consider what we are about to achieve in the next two decades in spaceflight." He praised ISRO's parallel strategy in developing human spacecraft, docking systems, space station modules and lunar return capabilities. "ISRO is building all of this in parallel. The same capability that will bring back lunar samples will one day take humans to the moon and bring them back," he said. With government support and new funding, India is also developing a next-generation heavy-lift launch vehicle. "It's for building bigger space stations in the future. The human space program is expanding, and things are looking good for us." When asked if he might one day go to the moon. Mr Pratap smiled and said, "It's too early to say. But what matters is that the nation progresses. Whether it's me or someone else, we should all be proud." As for Gaganyaan, he remains excited but measured. "Of course, I'm excited. But I'm also controlling my excitement. Let it happen at the right pace. Even if it's delayed by a year or more, what matters is that we have a successful mission."
