Interesting Facts - Page 62

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306

In the HBO series "Chernobyl", three heroic men are seen volunteering on a suicide mission in which they waded through radioactive water. The viewer is left to assume that the men died of radiation poisoning. But they didn't. In fact, two are still alive while the third died of unrelated heart disease in 2005.

307

After the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, authorities placed a 30 kilometer exclusion zone around the former power plant. The results have been surprising. Wildlife is thriving within the exclusion zone - in effect creating one of Europe's largest wildlife preserves. Animals living in the exclusion zone suffer no discernible harm from the radiation, and benefit greatly from the near complete lack of human presence.

308

The California Condor ceased to exist in the wild in 1987 when all 27 remaining condors were captured for the purpose of saving the species. The intervention worked. After a few years of captive breeding, condors were re-released into the wild. Today the total population is over 500 and growing quickly.

309

The town of Monowi, Nebraska is the only incorporated place in the United States with a population of 1. Its sole resident, Elsie Eiler, serves as mayor. She grants herself a liquor license to operate a tavern and pays taxes to herself.

310

Old Blue was the name of a black robin who was the last fertile female of her species. This species, on an island off the east coast of New Zealand, was incredibly brought back from the brink of extinction in the 1980s. Today, there are more than 250 black robins, all descended from "Old Blue".

32 Comments

Level ∞

Jun 17, 2019

Thanks to kiwiquizzer for fact #310.

+11

Level 89

Nov 27, 2019

Well, many people died to (efficiently) secure Chernobyl. It could have been so much worse... those who did the job are true heroes, don't underestimate that. As for the exclusion zone, let's say that the levels of radiation are low enough in most of it for the animals to breed without too many mutations. But I wouldn't go within 5km of the central without a good reason (and a good protection). It's not recommended to go to Pripyat, where the levels can still be dangerous.

Level ∞

Feb 9, 2020

This needs a citation. As far as I know, the direct death toll from Chernobyl was 31 and most of those people weren't volunteers.

And while I certainly wouldn't touch the Elephant's Foot, I would have no problem visiting the exclusion zone. Wildlife in the area is thriving. It's really not nearly as bad as people think.

Level 61

Sep 17, 2021

There's a neat channel on Youtube called "Bald and Bankrupt" and he goes there quite often. The guy who runs the channel travels to the less touristy nations or the parts that are quite dangerous and it's really entertaining to watch.

Level 79

Aug 29, 2020

I visited the exclusion zone, we drove by the reactor, and went all around Pripyat. There are areas where radiation levels are still dangerously high. When we drove through some they told us to roll up the windows. But overall it's not too bad. They have people who go to work there and are allowed to stay for a year or so. During the tour everyone in our group was given a personal radiation meter that measured our exposure while we were there and the dose I got was equivalent to a few cigarettes. and while I'm not going to go digging for a citation right now I've read a lot about the disaster and I think Quizmaster needs a citation more. A LOT more than 31 people died directly as a result of Chernobyl. But I guess some of what goes into calculating the number might depend on how you define "direct."

fun fact: the nurse at my Boy Scouts summer camp in 1988 or whenever was a Soviet expat and medic at the site of the disaster.

Level 65

Oct 8, 2022

As a genuine point of curiosity, why were the windows asked to he rolled up? If visible light is able to travel through the windows just fine as if they nearly weren’t there, why wouldn’t other more penetrating forms of light that are harmful?

Perhaps I have a fundamental misunderstanding of radiation but I assumed the radiation was in forms of harmfully penetrative light: UV, X, and Gamma rays.

Level 40

Mar 11, 2023

For protection against radiation, lead glasses are worn in hospitals.

I am curious to know if these animals die young or "age faster" from high levels of radiation. I thought radiation was why people could not fly to Mars. Perhaps that was to hype the importance of ozone.

But we are now told not to believe nukes destroying the ozone is even a consideration.

Level 67

May 6, 2023

Dust. That's the answer. The biggest risk of going through the exclusion zone isn't direct irradiation, but rather inhalation of radioactive dust, which can get stuck in your lungs and irradiate you from within for however long it takes for it all to decay. All in all it is very safe though, certainly compared to the public perception of the exclusion zone's level of danger.

Level 79

Aug 29, 2020

And, overall, the HBO series was excellent and very historically accurate. Though some creative liberties were taken. Still, some of the best TV aired... probably ever.

Level ∞

Aug 29, 2020

Agreed.

Level 71

Dec 16, 2019

I'm just very curious how someone paying taxes to themselves would work out.

Level 76

Jan 9, 2020

I thought taxes in the US were paid to the federal government?

Level 39

Jan 27, 2020

I think there are levels of taxes, and she doesn't pay taxes to herself directly, she just runs the local government

Level 37

Jul 30, 2025

In the USA, like most other places, there are multiple layers of taxes. Taxes I know I pay directly include franchise tax to NYS for owning a business. Water and sewer taxes to the City. Property taxes to the City (office building) and Town (home). School taxes to both Town and City. State Income taxes. Federal Income taxes. Gas taxes. Sales tax on everything but essentials. Tax on natural gas that heats and cools my home and office. I bet I didn't get half of them. They are pervasive.

Level 54

Jan 12, 2020

The girl in Monowi died

Level 39

Jan 27, 2020

Not as far as I can tell

Level 66

Mar 18, 2020

Not according to this transcript from a month ago.

She is mentioned to be alive and well.

Level 56

Feb 15, 2020

Certainly, in Chernobyl wild life have returned again and seems to progress more and more every year. Looking at that we have the impression that the only living creature not permitted to settle again on that land is the man (Homo sapiens).

Level 35

Feb 17, 2020

I bought a new 300ZX 2+2 in 1984. My brother and I drove up to Zuma Beach and turned up into the canyon--had the T Tops off, rounded a curve where one side of the car was steep hilside up, the other a canyon. Suddenly the entire car was shaded. We looked up and thought a dinosaur--a pterydactyl was what I yelled--was overhead. It was one of the last condors! Solme idiots were killing them, but a few were left that they collected soon after. We had no idea then what a condor looked like, but had never seen a bird that could cast a shadow nearly as long as a 2+2 ZX. Later, they were on the news all the time--1st the baby birds bonded to humans, then they knocked out the power or phone poles in Tehachapee...finally the zoo got the breeding program right, used Chilean condors, I think...

Level 49

Apr 11, 2020

It does say on the ending credits that the three men from Chernobyl survived

Level 78

May 19, 2020

Not many people read the credits, right?

Level 79

Aug 29, 2020

pretty much everyone watching. It wasn't like they were hidden under the line for best boy grip. It was put up on screen in big bold letters right after the conclusion of the final episode.

Level 78

Oct 10, 2021

Makes sense. I haven't watched Chernobyl, so I can't really say. But I guess QM means from the actual story, so his point could still stand.

Level 73

Apr 29, 2020

Related to Chernobyl, 70% of the radiation actually went to Belarus, not Ukraine.

Level 27

Jul 19, 2021

yeah? wait 300 yrs and see if those animals dont turn into Godzillas

Level 66

Jan 3, 2022

I’d love to prove you wrong, but it’s impossible for a human to live 300 years in a waking state, and you should know that.

Level 66

Dec 1, 2022

Coming back to this comment, I have to add that it would be impossible for the animals to live 300 years, either. Dead Godzillas wouldn’t be to frightening.

Level 40

Mar 11, 2023

Lets wait much longer than 300 years. It is possible humans will still be (around).

Level 51

Oct 17, 2021

Fact 309: is fake about the part where she pays taxes to herself, she does not, I interviewed her and told her about the myths and she denied them. She does have her own operating tavern though.

Level 70

Nov 20, 2021

Did you interview her in Nebraska?

Level 75

Dec 8, 2024

It clearly says that they did

Level 36

Feb 11, 2023

308: The California Condor

"...Today the total population is over 500 and growing quickly."

Could you please specify when today was as it clearly is not that today today (11th Feb 2023).