The Chernobyl tragedy that occurred in 1986 caused the surrounding area of the nuclear power plant to be evacuated due to the danger of radiation. This contaminated area is called the Exclusion Zone with an area of 2,600 km2. But after 38 years, scientists in Ukraine declared the majority of agricultural land in the Exclusion Zone now safe for use again.
A survey conducted by the University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine found that more than 80% of agricultural areas in the Exclusion Zone now have radiation readings that are safe for them to return to produce crops. Only the zone near the exploded reactor is still dangerous and it will only become safe for humans after 20,000 years.
The announcement is good news for Ukraine, which needs agricultural land as the conflict with Russia continues. There are many agricultural areas that are now battlegrounds and some that have been seized by Russia since the conflict began in 2014.
Although the Exclusion Zone has been found to be dangerous to humans, animals have evolved to be radiation resistant since 1986. Among them are wolves and worms that are resistant to cancer despite living in areas of radiation that can kill humans.
