Physics World Stories Podcast · Physics World

Chernobyl at 40: physics, politics and the nuclear debate today

·53 min·1 clip

Standing in Chernobyl's control room, a physicist confronts the place where the world changed forever.

Professor Jim Smith, an environmental physicist at the University of Portsmouth, has dedicated nearly four decades to studying the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear accidents. Originally trained in astrophysics, he transitioned to environmental science to make a more direct impact on climate and environmental issues. His research focuses on how radioactivity behaves in the environment and the recovery process from nuclear accidents. Smith's work has led to a surprising conclusion: the social and psychological impacts of Chernobyl were greater than the direct radiation effects. The disaster resulted in 300,000 people being permanently evacuated, creating an exclusion zone the size of Hampshire. This social disruption, combined with the collapse of health services and employment when the Soviet Union fell, caused significant economic hardship and psychological trauma. The exclusion zone has since become an accidental rewilding success story, with mammal populations thriving in the absence of human activity. Smith has visited Chernobyl numerous times, describing the eerie transformation of Pripyat from a Soviet town to a forest-reclaimed landscape. His radiation exposure during 10-day research trips amounts to about 0.1 millisieverts, roughly 27 times less than annual background radiation in the UK. The risk translates to approximately a one in 100,000 chance of cancer - far lower than risks from air pollution in cities. Smith's most innovative project involves the Atomic Spirits social enterprise, which produces apple brandy and schnapps from crops grown in semi-abandoned areas around Chernobyl. Through fermentation and distillation, the final products are completely free of Chernobyl radioactivity, demonstrating that contaminated land can be safely utilized. The project has sold 8,000 bottles and raised £50,000 for Ukrainian communities affected by both Chernobyl and the current war. Smith argues that our regulatory approach to nuclear power versus fossil fuels is inconsistent and counterproductive. He points to Germany's decision to shut down nuclear plants after Fukushima, which led to increased brown coal burning, resulting in 36 million extra tons of CO2 annually and thousands of deaths from air pollution. His position is that well-run nuclear facilities pose minimal risk compared to the certain dangers of climate change and air pollution from fossil fuels. The conversation touches on the HBO Chernobyl series, which Smith appreciates as drama but notes contains factual errors, particularly regarding the impossibility of nuclear reactors exploding like atomic bombs. He emphasizes that the Soviet system's hierarchical culture, where questioning superiors was forbidden, contributed significantly to the accident. Smith advocates for a balanced approach to energy policy that includes both nuclear power and renewables, arguing that a 100% renewable grid may not be feasible given current storage limitations. He acknowledges that nuclear power carries risks but maintains these are far outweighed by the risks of continued fossil fuel dependence and climate change.

As heard by us

Nuclear fear meets ecological recovery in a careful, practical conversation.

PlayNext frames a careful conversation about Chernobyl, Fukushima, and the uneasy distance between radiation science and public fear. It keeps returning to Jim Smith's long work in Chernobyl's exclusion zone, and that gives the piece a grounded feel as it moves through…

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Why you'd press play

If you want radiation science tied to Chernobyl, Fukushima, and apple brandy.

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