Atomic Secrets: a Chornobyl scientist warns of a toxic future

Dmitry Kalmykov is a Ukrainian scientist who has dedicated his life to investigating environmental disasters, first at Chornobyl and now in Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan - formerly the Soviet Union's primary nuclear weapons testing site.

He teaches schoolchildren about how bombs were tested, and how – more than 30 years after the site was decommissioned – the surrounding community is only beginning to comprehend radiation's lasting deadly effects. Against the backdrop of war in Ukraine and the long shadow of a nuclear conflict across the region, Dmitry debates Kazakhstan's nuclear future with its next generation.

Атомні секрети: Чорнобильський ліквідатор попереджає про токсичне майбутнє

The Guardian on YouTube:

#atomicsecrets #chornobyl #chernobyl #nuclearweapons #nucleartests #nucleartesting #ukraine #russia #kazakhstan #ussr #documentary

[pbusedtogiveaf]

I’m from Kazakhstan and I realized that Semei-21 is one of the most nuked places on earth only when I became an adult. Unfortunately even in our country there’s not enough *meaningful* education and discussion on this topic.

[maddygreywennerstrom]

One of the most insightful and saddest videos I've ever watched. The stupidity of the human species will lead us to our own extinction.

[SJR_Media_Group]

This was present in a very respectful and honest way... thank you for sharing.

[Amelia-ps]

Brilliant. My friend from a village near Omsk have seen radioactive garbage being stored in Siberian forests by helicopters. Many of his childhood friends died in a half of a year after the delivery, almost all the village died. He is around 40, his family left the site in 2 days and save their lifes. His father was a scientist and he had a dosimeter, other residents didn't believe him and stayed, unfortunately. So, not only Semipalatinsk, but every city around could be contaminated. (You'd better never ignore a scientist, by the way 😅)

[ShakesSphere]

I'll never forget that photo in the hall of the worn boots left laying...the heroes who went in to shut it down, all perished. But to see innocent farm animals getting blasted, wtf!!

[chanvalentine]

Smart man getting a dosimeter from Japan.

[infra]

I'd like to see another video in the state of New Mexico

[taras]

It will be at least 300 years before the cesium-137 and Strontium-90 contamination alone decays background levels. Actinide contamination such as Pu-239 and Am-341 will remain for thousands of hundreds of thousands of years depending on the half life.

[tomgeorgearts]

This is beautiful film; every shot is like poem. With his museum of artefacts from the atomic age, this guy is trying to make an issue that is saturated in fear into a subject of fascination. If you only talk of disaster, people thrown up their hands and lose interest, but with this kind of storytelling, he may be able to help the communities living in the old nuclear test zones of Kasakstan. My only issue is it's so brief. A quick watch for an era where we can't spare the time to understand anything in depth. As such, it fulfils its mission and slips down easily like a story from a world of anonymous characters who peak our interest for a few minutes before we move on to the next thing. At the very least, I think the scientist deserves to have his name mentioned. A bit about his credentials and background, too. If this was a full length film produced for Storyville or the like, it would win awards.

[natachab.]

Does anyone know the name and location of the museum shown in this documentary?

[susananderson]

Thanks to all who put this together, very informative.

[the_grand_tourer]

11:47 Wow! bold statement. What a lovely guy, and incredible access (especially in these times), Thank You.

[vornamenachname]

I was born on the exact same day as the accident. It's totally meaningless but I still have a big interest in the story for just that coincidence and am roaming the internet like a roomba for more than ten years.
This video was one of the best I've ever seen regarding the topic.
Very well done!

[dylon]

Excellent work by the cinematographer on this one

[josephinemonahan]

Thank you, that was a most informative video….. I remember the Chernobyl disaster very well…..I used to walk my dog every morning on a beach on the east coast of Ireland…the prevailing wind at that time of year is from the east….I did wonder about radiation travelling from the east…not having any concerns about borders….it certainly gave me pause for thought….thank you once more.

[roberto]

When the military sites were abandoned people collected the scrap metal and sold it to Chinese recyclers. Who sold it across the world. Bridges in America could contain radioactive steel. The river that drains this area takes a 2000(?) mile long journey to the Arctic Ocean. The radioactivity along the river will increase over time. For 100, 000 years. More or less. The wind will blow radioactive dust around the world for the next 100, 000 years. More or less.

[stellabocancea]

We, especially those in positions of power, owe the safety of the future to the next generations.

[antinatalope]

Lake Crawford in Ontario has plutonium sediment from the 1950s. If it can reach here, where else has it gone?

[iamnotmrlebowski]

I just read Nuclear Warfare: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen and then watched this. He's right. We've been extremely close since the very first nuclear bombs were invented, tested and disgustingly used.

[jakobbauz]

These wide grass lands are beautiful. And so are the people.