One of the most frightening things that could happen actually DID happen in April 1986, when a nuclear reactor at a power plant in Chernobyl, Ukraine, had a meltdown and released clouds of radiation into the atmosphere.
Those clouds soon spread across Europe, terrorizing residents in many countries who worried about the radioactive fallout coming down upon them.
The exploded reactor and other buildings near it were evacuated — indeed, the entire town of Chernobyl — and the area surrounding the town declared off limits to humans. It was estimated it would take perhaps hundreds of years before the area would be safe to inhabit again.
Fears that the radiation would cause frightening mutations among the animals left behind WERE borne out in some instances.
But over the intervening decades something strange happened: Many of the animals of Chernobyl began to show a renewed vigor and surprisingly healthy behavior.
Wolves, in particular, began to thrive and reproduce at pre-Chernobyl levels. Researchers monitoring the area were amazed that the animals were doing fine — having apparently adjusted their genetic code to increase their immunity to the radiation effects.
The wolves’ reported rebound indicated that many of the animal species in the government designated Exclusion Zone were coming out of the shadow they had been living under with strong, healthy bodies. Not ALL of the animals fared so well — especially the ones that fed off materials like mushrooms, which tend to absorb and concentrate the radiation.
Some scientists are now considering whether the wolves’ experience may have implications for better cancer treatment. Of course, much more study is needed to know if that is indeed a possibility.
Some have noted that one of the factors that must be considered in evaluating the Chernobyl experience is how much the animals have thrived by simply NOT being constantly harassed by human hunters and other human interference — such as noise and electric lights — in their lives.
It amazes me that these animals -- well, their descendants anyway -- have begun to reclaim their lives and futures despite the massive radiation that rained down on the Chernobyl region in 1986.
And it does tend to re-enforce the notion many believe: That no matter what happens, Life will find a way to go on.
Living as we do in a nuclear-threatening world, it makes me hope that will always be the case.
(Possibly doctored image)
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