Project: Investigating and get inside Chernobyl

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Project: Investigating and get inside Chernobyl

Hi all, first let me say that

a) I am not crazy
b) I understand the risks
c) I have the papers needed to go in

My plan is to get into the "dead zone", photograph it, investigate it and just see it with my own eyes. Talking to (crazy) people that live there, searching for mutations of plants and animals due to the radiation etc.

When i first told the plan to my girlfriend - she said that I am totally crazy and that she would never allow me to do so. Well 2 years later, she will join me. She is currently finishing her study in Ecology and Bio-Technology, so
she can provide good background on plants and animals.

To make the long story short, let's answer to most of the questions you will ask me:

MORE DETAILS UPON REQUEST (by U2U or in this thread)

WHY?

Chernobyl is the one and only place on earth after a major sitX - remained untouched. A place without people, without cars, without people - a place, where history remained still decades ago. You get he chance to visit it with your own eyes - without the military at your back (I am not talking about a military guided journey), without restrictions - you're only depending on yourself and on you knowledge - you take risks or you don't. It's up to you.

Of course, i can't post any good reason to do this. Maybe it's the drill or the fear of the risk, the unknown, i don't know. But I know that some people will understand me.

HOW?

We will be traveling with one or (if more people join) two jeeps (one '99 Mercedes G-Class, one 2002 Land Rover Defender)in order to explore locations even outside the road and to have enough space for our gear. I am currently buying all sortsof technical gear, machines and other things required for our safety. I can make a more detailed list for people who will join us. First we will drive to Kiev, stay one night to rest and then continue to the "dead zone" (aprox. 130km from Kiev).

We are still thinking about how long to stay there, so this is a matter of later decision. We are still searching for the best rout to explore the whole area.


WHO?

Me, 26 years old, my girlfriend 22 years old and a friend scientist of mine - 29 years old. Any ATS member who want to participate can contact me via U2U or in this thread.


RISKS

Please use Google to inform yourself about the radiation risks, but long story short:

A short visit poses little health risk -- it takes years for radiation to build up in the human body to a degree that will cause cancer, and radiation maps of the exclusion zone clearly highlight no-go areas. Visitors are equipped with an official government guide and a hand held Geiger counter; all food and water consumed in the zone is shipped in from the outside. Produce grown in the area's radioactive soil makes for an especially effective method of delivering radioactive isotopes directly into the bloodstream and bone marrow. But the dangers can't be seen. And other than the eerie desertion of the cities and villages in the exclusion zone, the disaster and contamination the Chernobyl disaster visited on the area remains completely invisible.

Of course, we won't step into the reactor f.e. - still, we aren't that crazy.




WHEN?

MAI 2009 - in order to have enough time to prepare. Please be aware, that there have to be a special permission for every person who wants to enter the "dead zone" - it's a long process but it costs only 90$ so that is not a problem. Since we are representing a Bulgarian scientific organization access will be granted to everyone who wants to join us, we will assist you.


JOIN?

Since we want this to be a scientific journey to Chernobyl and not just a journey it will be good for you to be useful in order to join us.

We don't need money, you will only pay your ticket to Kiev and your permission. It would be good if you have a degree or experience in Microbiology, Ecology, Archeology, Geology - this direction.

Basics in Russian language is required. This expedition is not "just for fun".
Since we have only two car's at our disposal the group should not be larger then 5 people - so we have 2 free places.



Because I am not really sure if someone will be interested i posted just a very small summary of the whole thing, I don't want to waste my and your time. So if there is more interest i will be more specific.

Greetings,

George



[edit on 1/8/08 by absente]

It would be interesting to see the actual rate of radioactive decay from theory to actuality.

While a school group I was in went to the Rocky Flats Colorado site we witnessed several strange mutations in the local wildlife. Rabbits that had deformed or multiple ears, antlers on deer that had grown strangely etc.

So it would be interesting to take specimens of the plant life to see how much the radiation had mutated them. Soil composition or even small insects could be studied to find out many things.

I personaly can't go, but I would love to see what you all find when your in the dead zone.



[edit on 8/1/2008 by whatukno]

reply to post by whatukno


Hi, thanks for your reply. Yes, we will provide all kinds of info we can get once we get there. We will not just photograph and film, but get samples witch we can later analyze here in Bulgaria.

So, i hope we can really provide a real report on what is happening in the zone today. That's one of the reasons we won't do a guided tour - even if this is very risky.

If you don't plan on staying in the area for years your exposure should be minimal.

You probably already know this but just in case here's a nifty little chart to keep in mind for radiation levels

What I had heard and I am not sure that it is true, is that the Russian government had encased the exposed core in a concrete "tomb" which was pretty ineffective in sealing off the radiation.

Increase in lifetime dose to most heavily exposed people living near Chernobyl: 43,000 mrem

Thats a lifetime dose for the people that chose to live around Chernobyl, I wouldnt worry too much about getting that kind of a dose and you more than likely won't get the LD50 dose from your investigation.

[edit on 8/1/2008 by whatukno]

well, i already contacted some guides and they told me that a 10 hour expose in "the zone" equals 2 days in a major city (talking about radiation exposure). So that won't be a problem, if we know where to go.

A bigger problem are the so called "hot particles" - rumor or not, it's still a risk so in "risky" areas we will wear hight quality face masks (size of an hot particle is like 0.5 to 30 µm (micrometers) ) - even special suits , but this is no guarantee.

We want to explore forgotten areas, not the "normal" areas visitors go in, take a picture and get out. If that is interesting for you, there are many sites selling such trips - but that's, well like going to Egypt and not visiting the Pyramids.

So, still waiting, but hopefully my contact in the Ukraine will guide us into the "real" dead zone.

PS: ATS will be the first international site where we'll post our results



[edit on 1/8/08 by absente]

It's actually pretty scary place i bet, inside sector 4. I remember passing by radiation zones there (i grew up in Ukraine), the perfectly green and untouched forest suddenly turns all brown, and i mean everything from grass to trees, you get that weird feeling of not so colorful wonderland.

[edit on 1-8-2008 by Mr.Slon]

one thing i bet is that inside the DEADZONE, its probably a active as hell place with TOP SECRET stuff.
im very interested in this thread, please any information that you can get thats UNOFICCIAL, let me know, im very very interested to know if theres activity, in which i bet any money there is a crap load inside, if not doorways to underground. just if you go yourself please take the precautions, i know theres a pill, u can take, im sure if u google, radioactivity protection, ull see what im talking about. id make sure u protect urself,
god this is a real smart idea, i think, its right there infront of public, but not?!@ no wat i mean? if i were to hide something,... i would... most likely pick this as my site...
l0ol theres prolly a huge feild of radioactive weed

but on a pure scientific note, thats UNOFFICIAL. a closely documented trip would be highly interesting. just becareful, the sound of the fact that you have to buy a ticket, yo get in there, makes me think, " well at least we know whos in there and when they are". so leaving this post on that thot, i thought i had to add

[edit on 1-8-2008 by noone81]

Not sure when or where I saw this I assume it was discovery or history channel but it was about Chernobyl and how plants are growing back and animals are coming back into the area, Chernobyl is still toxic to humans but some mutations in the flora and fauna have allowed a few species to survive.

Its not a scientific article but "this article" may help give some insight and perspective to your trip and report.

It's by a woman who visited on her motorcycle.

i want in,
i study ray mears thats all i could add, but i would die to come, literally.
i will carry what ever you want

Originally posted by makeitso
Its not a scientific article but "this article" may help give some insight and perspective to your trip and report.

It's by a woman who visited on her motorcycle.

Yes, her website is great! I have been visiting it for a few years now. Tons of pictures from in the dead zone.

Although there are raised levels of radiation in the 'zone', you must remember it's been over 20 years since the accident, much of the radiation has now dispersed & been absorbed by the ecosystem. Therefore, it is perfectly safe to travel through Chernobyl, & it is perfectly safe to go wandering about most parts of the 'zone'. There is no danger. It's unlikely you'll see a deformed animal,,, I would say the place is one of the most natural places in the world infact. Some animals would possibly have internal defects (Chernobyl heart.. etc.)

Now that's over with... To get into the zone you need an official escort. A guide. It's impossible that you can just show up with some Range Rovers and hoon in. Following the problem with looters, there are now checkpoints at every entrace, & the place is now patrolled by police. Think about it, the place has been deserted, & if there were no security the place would be rampant with all sorts of criminal activity, not to mention someone could blow up the sarcophagus as a terrorist act (Radiation would go all over Europe).

www.chernobyl.info...

So I donno, if you want to get in for a special research project then you're going to need to organise a special clearance or something, prior to going. Try emailing people at the above website.

Good luck on your trip!!! I'd love to go... like going back into the cold war, & and the wild life, free from people, would be fascinating.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

reply to post by makeitso


I'm sorry but that website is fabricated.

www.uer.ca...

articles.latimes.com...

journal.neilgaiman.com...

The pictures are real, the story behind it is completely fake. She went in with an escort in a car... carrying a bicycle helmut. Took photos of herself with the bike outside the zone.

[edit on 3/8/2008 by C0bzz]

Yes, I have read that accusation.

Nevertheless, put aside if she rode her bike or not and you'll see a goldmine of information about the area that you do not easily find elsewhere. Maps, images, rad readings at specific locations, etc. etc.

Best of luck on the trip guys!
I look forward to reading the report.

Hi,

thanks for your inputs - I will try to answer every question and provide you with more info on our expedition.


reply to post by noone81[/url]

No, I don't think there will be "Top Secret" stuff, there is no reason to think so. Doorways to underground? What makes you think this? I don't think the Ukrainian government is trying to hide something (now), since they removed after the event almost everything from the three zones. No aliens, no underground bases

But, we hope to find scientific evidence that will show the real consequences of this disaster. Probes of animals, plants, trees, stones - everything. I heard rumors of an mass grave (of people) - this will also be part of our investigation, but I can't comment this further since this investigation will be unofficial.


reply to post by C0bzz[/url]

Of course we will have a guide - but, as in Bulgaria it's the same think in Ukraine - corruption can be used for good purposes. It's very easy to get a regular clearance for the outer zones - the "inner zone" is just a question of money. I talked to some people, they will help us get to the "core", meaning we will have access even to the reactor, the control room etc. It's quite safe to go in there (with suit's). But this is only secondary, as I said, we don't just wanna takes picture's and say "Yes, we were in the core" - searching scientific evidence will be 90% of our trip.

Our agreement with our guide is that he will show us places, that aren't "public" - means, that we won't take the normal route "tourists" do. This would be more interesting for us.



reply to post by VampireZio[/url]

Yes, it would be very interesting to know if there are other species (except coacroachs [that isn't well spelled, sorry]) can survive this amount of radiation - and, maybe the radiation is even "good" for the wildlife.
This
is a very interesting article about the wildlife at Chernobyl

Recent studies suggest that the 19-mile (30-kilometer) "exclusion zone" set up around the reactor has turned into a wildlife haven....