Chernobyl Like You've Never Seen It Before...

In October 2021 I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study and explore the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and the Exclusion Zone with a team of scientists and nuclear experts. This is the start of that journey.
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[@kylehill]

This might be the biggest, most professional piece of science communication I’ve ever done. I hope you enjoy. Please share if it struck you in any way. Next in the series in Jan and Feb, maybe.

[@nosirrahx]

Me and one my best friends got a private tour last summer. This was probably my biggest entry on my bucket list. Having a dosimeter with you at all times really keeps everything in perspective.

[@Rkiver]

Have to say loving it and looking forward to the next part.

[@jtnich04]

so good and can't wait for the rest of the series.

[@blazedgamingkr1438]

Been so hyped for this video. Thanks Kyle. Keep up the good work.

[@Ferretic]

... this whole trip must have been an incredible experience for you. It's amazing how well you capture the haunting beauty and melancholy of it. I have to admit, I'm jealous. But I'm looking forward to the next parts of this series. Also ... holy crap, that's an almost incomprehensible amount of force that it would have taken to lift the biological shield and give it ten whole seconds of air time. I mean ... wow.

[@tmrogers87]

Freaky to see how utterly normal and human this location is. Chernobyl has some mythical status in our collective consciousness, but its simply a manmade power plant and that gets lost for me. Documentary films like this one help cut through the myth and legend

[@kylehill]

Exactly

[@Xanatrix]

I think the mythical status comes from multiple places, not the least of which being that radioactivity as both a concept and as a scientific field of study is so alien. To think that there is something that is basically imperceptible to the normal exploratory senses that humans rely on that will absolutely destroy matter is terrifying for most.

[@J24777]

@@kylehill How many parts are you going to upload? This is very interesting! Thanks for sharing your Experience being there.

[@kylehill]

@@J24777 3 for this story, then I have 3-5 other videos as well

[@GHShadowWell]

Yes the work they put in to fix this place up is extraordinary

[@TaylorFalk21]

Crazy that 2 months later this place is a warzone

[@breakingames7772]

No it's not, America has been trying to get Ukraine into NATO....I don't blame Russia at all...and that moron Ukraine leader is s killing his people while stealing millions from us .. Ukraine has always been the top 5 most corrupt nations on earth...USA being number 3

[@detective_mitch_conner]

Sooo crazy

[@OliverFlinn]

Whats even crazier is that russians dug trenches in the red forest lmfao

[@neilschuurman1473]

The Call of Duty Devs have some explaining to do. They knew too much

[@batturing]

one of the things that really sticks out to me in this video is the fact that you can see the footage become grainy at times from the level of radiation that is still present

[@RadioactiveLobster]

Something that I've always thought about with Chernobyl is that there are rooms, corridors, door ways and areas of that building that no human has set foot in since 1986. There are areas in there that no human will probably ever set foot in again. It is fascinating to think about.

[@MinSredMash]

That's not exactly true. Scientists and researchers entered and examine virtually every room in the building between 1986 and the year 2000. Especially the most dangerous areas where the fuel is located. That includes climbing INTO the reactor pit itself. There are videos and photos of it. The only places they could not enter are rooms filled with concrete and rubble (but even then they would cut holes in the walls to crawl inside).

[@Kerosian1]

@don s its not as bad as it might seem. A quick in and out is fine, just don't set up a tent for camping

[@Kerosian1]

@don s really depends on when and where you're visiting, and for how long. Anywhere around the leftover fuel is bound to be hazardous for quite some time yet. Fortunately the most dangerous isotopes (Sr-90 and Cs-137) have a half life of about 30 years. The fuel however will continue to produce those isotopes (albeit much much more slowly) until we can drill into it and insert some boron carbide rods to finally quell the reaction.

[@BRUtahn]

@@Kerosian1 why can't we do that now?

[@anthonylaviale3021]

@@Kerosian1 the fuel rods are still reacting in a measurable way without graphite moderators or water? I thought it was just normal decay. Is it just that a big enough block of reactor grade uranium has enough fast neutron reactions to actually matter?

[@Melanie_M]

I got such chills when you explained about the 10 seconds.... considering that we have footage of the violent explosion in Beirut, imagining the sheer amount of violent energy releasing is just....unimaginable actually. Tiny human brains do not process that, I think...

[@LandoCalrissiano]

There is a major difference between the Beirut explosion and the Chernobyl one: The Beirut explosion was a detonation while the Chernobyl was a pressure steam tank explosion. Both are destructive but the Chernobyl one didn't have an accompanying supersonic shockwave. This distinction is important because there is a not insignificant number of people who think Chernobyl was a nuclear detonation.

[@kuparisiipi5173]

It's definitely an impactful way to visualize it. Effective science communication at work!

[@Melanie_M]

@@LandoCalrissiano I was not comparing them as being the same. I was comparing that rarely do we have such impactful footage of a massive explosion to help our puny human brains understand the scale of power and destructions that is being done. Something that Kyle tried to do in the video.

[@rogeriopenna9014]

Chernobyl explosion was orders of magnitude less powerful than Beirut. Chernobul 2nd explosion "The more energetic second explosion, which produced the majority of the damage, was estimated by Dubasov in 2009 as equivalent to 40 billion joules of energy, the equivalent of about 10 tons of TNT." Beirut "An independent estimate by the International Monitoring System of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization based on infrasonic data obtained an explosive yield equivalent to 0.5-1.1 kt of TNT, making it the sixth-largest artificial non-nuclear explosion in human history." Thus, Beirut was between 50 and 100 times more powerful.

[@thebob6385]

I'm curious, how do we know that it was 10 seconds? Is there footage? Is that a theoretical calculation? Does that number come from personal reports from those who witnessed it? I can't imagine that in all that chaos anyone accurately timed it.

[@QuilloManar]

The thing I find most profound about radiation is that if you get exposed to a fatal amount, you just don't lose years of your life, you start a timer to your death. Your insides melt.

[@CryptP]

13:45 fun fact, not only did the force throw the upper biological shield up into the air for a full ten seconds, after landing back down, it now sits about 15° away from being totally vertical. So like a coin toss where the coin lands on its edge The fallen structure is now referred to as Elena, and there have been concerns for a very long time that it could still fall down, because its just supported by a load of rubble which probably does not have the greatest structural integrity There are some videos on KZbin filmed from inside that room, where you can see how the whole thing came to sit in the end

[@josephastier7421]

How did they know the UBS was in the air for ten seconds?

[@CryptP]

@@josephastier7421 I don't actually know that, can't find a specific source on it though Kyle does mention it in the video. I'd imagine someone just figured it out based on stuff like the distance it traveled and the force of the initial explosion, etc, but I genuinely can't find anything else on it.

[@josephastier7421]

@@CryptP This is the first I have ever heard of any 10-second hang time for the UBS. It is now sitting (all 2,000 tons of it), on its edge more or less, on the lip of the blown reactor vessel. The energy to move it there was phenomenal, not only having to lift its mass but also break every single cooling water pipe both coming and going, and there was one for every fuel rod. But it seemed to me that all the energy did was shove it up and out of the way, and then erupt past it. It didn't throw it into the air because it didn't have to.

[@CryptP]

@@josephastier7421 it's not necessarily a case of whether it had to, it's that the explosion generated enough pressure to lift it several times over. I can't personally find a source on the time it did or did not spend in the air, and I was just taking that point from this video. Would also be interested to know where Kyle got the 10s thing from

[@XtreeM_FaiL]

I have heard bouncing control rods, but can't remember anything about 10s hang time for entire thing.

[@MonkeyJedi99]

One of the early shots FINALLY drove home to me how utterly huge the outer containment structure it. It is well beyond the scale I imagined it to be.

[@Shadow-ek6qb]

The Eiffel tower can fit inside it!

[@TubususCZ]

@@Shadow-ek6qb No, it can't, even if you lay it on it's side. The internal span of the arch is 245 meters and that's the largest dimension there. Even the outer width of the arch is too small (270 m compared to the 300 m tall Eiffel tower _without the tip_ ).

[@JeoshuaCollins]

@@TubususCZ Okay but still, it's on that same scale. ~250 vs ~300

[@shanemedlin9400]

It's over 100 meters high, and the largest land-based portable structure in the world, according to the article I read about it.

[@MonkeyJedi99]

@@Shadow-ek6qb Wow. Mind exploded.

[@zacharycranmer958]

This was so intense for me just to watch, I can’t even IMAGINE how surreal this must have been for Kyle.

[@milosstojanovic4623]

Cant imagine how surreal it was for engineers working there in fuel room :)

[@ladislavmalak444]

@ Kyle Hill: Two things I like about this video of yours: 1. How you use the metric system and 2. How you approach the topic with respect, unlike many other KZbinrs, who have turned Chernobyl into a twisted video-game-like safari....

[@ibeatyoutubecircumventingy6344]

@@gppsoftware Sheer Dumb Luck and will get ya too some amazing places lol

[@bryan__m]

@@gppsoftware I guess using inches won't kill anyone.

[@dflower6]

The fact you were just there and what's happening now is unreal. You may have been one of the last who will ever have the chance to capture the beauty of this place. Thank you.

[@marniekilbourne608]

The BEAUTY?! There is nothing beautiful about it. You find nuclear disaster and it's years later aftermath beautiful? WTAF?

[@dflower6]

@@marniekilbourne608 go back to sleep. 🥱

[@LadyLuck-rd5vi]

@@marniekilbourne608 It is beautiful. Beautiful doesn't always mean good.

[@Andyatl2002]

⁠​⁠@@marniekilbourne608, the aftermath is quite fascinating a time period frozen in motion and people gathered still taking care of this place in unison and also the wildlife that found sanctuary here. Although I wish it hadn’t taken a nuclear disaster for any of that to happen

[@ericraululyeetusdelyeetus5028]

​@@marniekilbourne608 Ever heard of beauty in ugliness? Flowers of evil? Flori de Mucegai?

[@UnstableStrafe]

It is so haunting yet beautiful to see the inside of the plant. You mostly only see birdseye views of the plant from the outside on the internet. Seeing it from the inside this way helps ground it as a location in a way

[@linamishima]

I'd love to hear more about the scientists you were travelling with, what they were doing, where they were going back to, what they found most interesting / surprising

[@daisydogflutist]

Hi! I was on the trip with Kyle. Most of us on the trip are nuclear engineers. This was a training for us to learn about how contamination moves throughout the environment, both inside the plant and outside in Pripyat and the forests. We also had a couple first responders in our group that are responsible for responding to radiological emergencies in their area. This is the only place in the world where they can practice using their instruments with high background dose rates in real-world environments. A lot of the footage you see of us walking through hallways was us traveling to other parts of the plant (to the control rooms and the reactor room). Of course we were learning about the plant and the accident, but we also took a lot of radiation measurements everywhere we went. I can speak for most of us that the most surprising thing was the ubiquitous contamination. The background dose rates were high *everywhere*. Going into it, most of us had some thought that eventually they could clean up the area enough that it could be clean again. But no. There’s no way. We did one exercise where we got a soil sample that was maxing out our detectors, and we were able to isolate a teeny tiny fuel fragment. It could easily be carried by the wind or stuck to the fur of an animal. There’s no way to ever clean it up to pre-accident levels. That was a stark realization for us. I was also a little surprised at how emotional some of the moments were. We had moments of silence in two places in the plant. The solemnity and gravity of where we were and how it changed the world did not escape us. Kyle and Charles have done an amazing job of capturing that, and I can’t wait to see the next video!

[@linamishima]

@@daisydogflutist Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with us, and welcoming Kyle into your visit to share the experience. As a cyber security professional who gets involved with major incident response, I can entirely understand the monumental importance of such visits, and the unique environment they offer. I can't begin to imagine what that emotional surprise must have been like, given the work you do, and the location you were visiting. And that stark realisation that true cleanup will be impossible... Oooof. You all have my sympathies, and deepest respect for the work you do. Again, thank you. I'd normally put a heart emoji here, but that feels inappropriate.

[@divinethug1]

@@daisydogflutist Thanks for sharing, really informative information. Sounds like a humbling experience, especially for people like yourself in that line of work.

[@lonevolfff]

@@daisydogflutist maybe you can answer my burning question. While you had to change clothes I noticed the equipment you brought is infact still with you. How did you decon camera equipment enough to be allowed to remove it all

[@nuclearyorkshire3179]

I’d like to thank you for presenting this in a way that fits the location, unlike some on KZbin who give videos in Chernoybl such titles as “OMG CHERNOYBL!!!” You present this in a professional, well placed, scientific manner. Thank you, and I cannot wait for part 2.

[@awkwarddoesanart]

sad to see that part 2 got taken down, but i can understand why you did it. my heart goes out to all of those currently in the midst of the battle and i hope for their safety and for this to end soon. (also, part 2 covered the history and remains of pripyat, for anyone who comes across this.)

[@jamiegould7951]

I missed it going up, and was starting to wonder how these documentary vids would be handled in light of current events. So few of my friends seem aware of what an important international research site Pripiat has been not just for nuclear physics but the ecology side of things you've touched on. Whatever happens in the coming weeks and months, yours may have been one of the last trips by Western science communication types for the foreseeable future and what you have to say in the context of pre-war research might be even more valuable now than it already was. I do hope you can find a way to address that and we get to see what else you learned out there.

[@stevenpeven258]

What exactly happened with part 2, I can only assume it has something to do with the current situation in Ukraine

[@lukaslefevre8007]

Why was it talen down?

[@gamerdude3465]

It was taken down due to copyright issues. He mentions it on office hours.

[@rexor8527]

@@gamerdude3465 wait what? that's, uh... definitely not the reason I was thinking

[@Peppysgirl]

Honestly got chills several times while watching. The gorgeous scenery shots compared to the plant itself is just... something else. I can't really articulate what this made me feel in words but I'm so excited to see the next parts. This was fascinating.

[@daniellezepess]

@KTP my thoughts exactly!

[@SoxyKrawl]

Exactly how I felt as well

[@AdamKing60]

The part about the 2,000 ton lid being lifted, and for 10 seconds nonetheless, is just wild.

[@craigroth8710]

Hard to wrap your mind around the kind of energy that required! Wow!

[@MichaelGeldner01]

Thanks! Our civilization needs more people like you. Keep up the great work.

[@kylehill]

Very much appreciated thank you Michael!

[@M1551NGN0]

Everyone says that we need more people like him but no one says we want to be like him

[@garakthetailor]

​@@M1551NGN0i want to be more like him

[@rhov-anion]

That music really sets the proper atmosphere, the ethereal nature of it all, a place trapped in time, other-worldly and inconceivable in its destruction, a place that will be off-limits to humans for 20,000 years. I love how you also capture the beauty of the land. This isn't just cement and steel. It's forests, animals, rivers... life. In the face of destruction, you show the beauty of nature, which will survive us meat-bags long after we either manage to kill ourselves off, or leave this planet for new adventures.

[@arenomusic]

13:53 That 10-second demonstration really worked for me. I've seen all of your content about Chernobyl and have been fascinated with nuclear energy since I was a kid, but truly understanding and imagining how much power this kind of energy holds has always been an issue for me. Now I'm certain that it really is unimaginable.

[@nickzigrang2664]

That 10 sec really drove the point home on that. It's one thing to say 2000T being raised by steam pressure. But to sit there for 10 sec while your brain wraps around that 🤯

[@Maxikxng]

And if you Think about the fact that that 2000 Ton Cap went literally through the roof its even worse

[@hkr667]

Fun fact, he only timed 8 seconds there. So it was even worse.

[@cherrydragon3120]

Crazy to imagine a force so large that it basicly lifts up a structure thats as heavy as an entire 2/3 floor house for 10 seconds

[@sethmorris5518]

@@Maxikxng the UBS didn't go through the roof.

[@jamesh2321]

As a former US navy nuclear operator, (and one who would do anything to get back into the industry), thank you for this and all your videos that tell the story of nuclear power- without demonizing it or scapegoating it into some object of irrational fear. Sure it needs to be respected, as all energy sources do, but for moving forward, and cleanly, I fully believe nuclear is the future. And hopefully with people such as yourself helping to spread this message, it will become something we are willing to seriously consider going forward.

[@Sejikan]

Well said

[@tokio4816]

renewable energy is more likely to be the future imo sir

[@tokio4816]

or maybe fusion reactors?

[@soulance8342]

Fire can burn a forest, or it can feed a family. The difference is up to us.

[@Sejikan]

@@tokio4816 well of course renewable is better but nuclear is the best option rn

[@FireDude13]

Very interesting stuff. I was an intelligence analyst in the Navy when Chernobyl blew. I remember seeing some of the first satellite images of the accident and thinking it didn't look so bad... lol. Little did we know just how bad it was. At that point specialists were still evaluating the aftermath (think BDA), and only months later was the true scope of the accident understood. I think early on our analysts working with nuclear specialists had a more accurate picture of what happened/was happening than the Soviet leadership did. Such was the political climate in the Soviet Union at the time. Nobody wanted to be the bearer of bad news... as major nuclear reactor accidents 'didn't happen' in the Soviet Union... I recently have become obsessed with learning as much about Chernobyl as I can... even delving into the type of reactors used at Chernobyl, and how they differ from other reactor designs used at that time. One thing is for sure... I am NOT smart enough to be a nuclear engineer... but I was able to follow most of what i dug up. I would LOVE to visit the site and take the 'tour', but I don't know that my finances will support such a trip lol.

[@chadthundercock7897]

The "radiation airlock" system you mentioned is pretty standard for radiologically controlled areas and contaminated areas. Given you can still hear individual counts instead of a dying-harddrive scream, you can tell dose rates in the area are pretty low.

[@leechjim8023]

Go to the Elephant,s Foot! Guaranteed to SCREAM!! As you will shortly as your guts melt and your skin turns black!🤔😱😱😵

[@kuparisiipi5173]

I said my peace in the patreon post, just damn, it's so good. The way this is structured is so engaging, and it's easy to tell you're excelling at what you do (science communication). Nothing but love for this piece and the whole team that was a part of it.

[@STRAKAZulu]

Thank you, Kyle, for helping us see a place that 99% of us will probably never see.

[@haydenk6459]

Your channel is so criminally underrated it hurts

[@CJWJR]

Having been born approximately 10 weeks before the Chernobyl disaster, I have taken an interest in learning more about the disaster over the last few years. In that time, I have learned a great deal about the disaster, the Sarcophagus, and the Elephant's Foot through other KZbin documentaries, but this one provides the most recent look into the status of the plant. Thank you for the update, and for the professional reporting!

[@danielgrossie7902]

Gotta say man, seeing how far you've come as a content creator and a scientist is genuinely inspiring. This is by far the best piece of content I've seen from you, and I can't wait for part 2! Keep up the great work!

[@citizenofcity1722]

This isn’t S-Tier content. This is god-tier content. All jokes and younger kid lingo aside, this is an absolutely awe-inspiring video. Having been curious about Chernobyl since it was used as a location in a James Rollins book circa 2008 The Last Oracle, this is fascinating and so greatly put together. Can’t wait to see more. You don’t need my praises, but well done Mr. Hill, well done.

[@animal_cookie]

Thanks! I really enjoyed this. I get a lot of "Visiting Chernobyl" videos on my recommended page, and I sometimes get irritated because I feel like they often tip into "extreme tourism" or are making a spectacle out of an immense tragedy. On top of that, I've heard stories about people sneaking off from their tour group to off-limits zones or stealing things. But I felt like this was really respectful of the people and the community that were lost, and educational at the same time. Very much looking forward to the next installation!

[@6dayslost610]

The first time I stepped foot in a nuclear reactor was such an eerie feeling. Now it hardly phases me since ive done it so many times. Watching this brought those eerie feelings back to the surface. Its so crazy to think that this could happen where i work, although the odds are pretty low. Still a chilling thought though. Love your content and look forward to part 2 as well as more MTG content.

[@marniekilbourne608]

Yes, it can very well happen where you work. A million things could go wrong. And they have and not just at Chernobyl, at many other sites. You do you but I'd look for another job.

[@jacobgoodstone7572]

@@marniekilbourne608 He'd be more likely to die driving to the power plant than from an explosion or some other disaster at the nuclear reactor. Despite what it may seem like, nuclear energy is incredibly safe

[@winchester1dominoe]

It is just amazing to see. From the constant bombardment through media of how it should to, to what it actually looks like. To see how resilient nature really is. It gives hope that we can recover from all we do to this world. Also just damn amazing! Thank you for doing what you do! Look forward to seeing more!

[@CronicTH]

This was eye opening, to say the least. The comparisons between the intact and ruined control rooms, all the steps you have to take just to get in and out safely... Only so much you can learn what it's like inside the exclusion zone without actually setting foot there personally.

[@mixedboi]

My grand aunt was in Pripyat at that time, she was in a really bad shape. Her niece was on site staying with her, whilst ordering a coffin and funeral while she was still alive. Chernobyl lies deep under my skin, I wasn't even born yet until 3 years later, but it was so wrong on so many levels that it will give me goosebumps for the rest of my life.

[@karenburrows9184]

Kyle, I used to work in the industry in Canada a lifetime ago, in a very minor capacity (drafting) I've seen a lot of media productions on all types of reactors and while the others were serious, technical, tragic or morbid; yours is by far the best I've seen, I can't define it. And this is just Part One. You have managed to capture the essence of the advent of the catastrophe; and your evocative description of the force required to raise the shield said it all. The photography of the control room spoke volumes. The eviscerated boards, the dead instruments; it was like looking at a corpse. The age of the technology struck me as well. I don't remember our technology being so old, I don't think it was; which makes me wonder. Thank you for this. No one has done better. Bravo.

[@ClintThomsen]

Re: control room 4 itself, I read it looks like that because of vandalism (people stealing parts & buttons) rather than from the physical event itself. It would have been nice to clarify that.

[@TahoeKing]

What a video! Kyle didn't mention that the 2000 ton shield went up for 30 meters! Destroying the hanger roof, but with this new information that it stayed in air for 10 seconds! 2000 ton, 30 meters up for 10 seconds...Oh my God! the amount of unbelievable energy that poor reactor went through in its final seconds

[@draco84oz]

Correct me if my maths is wrong - Hang time of 10sec means an initial velocity of ~50m/s. 2mil kg weight means 100 MN force if acceleration is done over 1sec, but it isn't, so proportion the force up as impulse time goes down. I'm trying to think what an equivalent is to 100 MN, but I can only think of the F-1 rocket in the first stage of the Saturn V that delivered ~6.7 MN of force - or ~33.5 MN for all five engines at launch.

[@Claptrapin]

Imagine the feeling that place gives off in person. Would love to go one day!

[@nolandonohue3514]

I’m sure it feels a little spicy

[@BROST81]

it's cool , but the tourist bizness make it feel random, the best is to get there illegaly with some local dudes , so you can explore freely

[@Phiz787]

Agreed intensely with your first sentence. Disagreed just as strongly with your second. Lol

[@Claptrapin]

@@Phiz787 So your telling me you wouldn't lick the elephants foot?

[@Phiz787]

@@Claptrapin Yeah I don't think I would :P

[@danb2936]

The 10 second pause you did really puts things into perspective.. Just the insane amount of force/power to even move the 2000 tonne cap is incredible 😮 This is by far the best video of this out there.. no B.S etc and straight to the point ❤❤❤

[@sonicstep]

14:02, Except it wasn't 10sec. More like 6sec. But long enough.

[@dalton6173]

Good thing you did this a while back.

[@HazMantis]

We really appreciate how genuine this take is. How clearly overwhelming the experience was, as we could hear it in your voice. Thanks for giving us this look into a fascinating piece of history

[@DMStraylight]

Kyle has graduated from youtuber to documentarian, and it's glorious to witness. Can't wait for the rest of the series.

[@jonathanjames9184]

Thanks for bringing this to the public, Kyle! I'm entering my education in nuclear engineering soon and it's great to remember the technology's ancestry, good and bad. Its heritage is one shared by all of mankind. I'm excited to see us continue to learn from our mistakes and to make something new.

[@Brad772006]

I love how the way in which this is filmed and edited gives a feel or atmosphere and I felt as though I was right there with you. Great documentary and I am highly looking forward to the next installment.

[@JasonLowenthal1983]

Without a doubt this is one of the most well made and thoughtful pieces of science (and human) communication I've ever seen. The emotions and reflections and learning coming from this video are difficult to overstate, wow! This makes me so grateful to be a supporter of this channel and of all of the folks that made this video happen. Thanks for making this amazing piece. Keep it up.

[@tekuaniaakab2050]

I loved the eerie sound of geiger counters in the distance, it helps give context to the kind of place that is. Thanks Kyle.

[@Alex._-._..-.-_.._]

My parents were little kids in Poland when it happened, I think they once told me about how they remember they were told to stay inside as much as they could because they didn't know extent of the radiation/radioactive material that was blown across neighboring countries (I might be a little wrong in this considering I'm only saying what I remember from my memory so if I am please correct me)

[@r3gret2079]

Even just watching this video, with music playing for the most part, I can almost hear the chatter that went on in that control room. You can just look around and get a sense of where people sat, who did what and how important it all was. Even though you can't hear them anymore, the voices echo in the memory of Pripyat.

[@gregormonkey]

I always appreciate your sober, contemplative take on such serious disasters, while not losing sight of the human element in all of the stories you tell. Can't wait for part 2!

[@BananaMcGee1]

Been looking forward to this! Can't wait for the rest, Half Life Histories is a super fascinating series and this should be no different.

[@rocknepoovey4381]

ITS SAFE TO SAY there won’t be a part two

[@nickt2116]

Based on other comments part two was up but recently removed. Wish I would have caught it before it was deleted.

[@recklesflam1ngo968]

@@FlyingAce1016 It was taken down by a ukrainian state-owned company for some reason, Kyle himself did not do it.

[@dhruel]

When I was a kid, I learned about Chernobyl in school. I have forgotten about the fact that my class learned about it only three years after it happened, but I do remember seeing photos of the surrounding completely dead forest and thinking that it would probably be a very long time before that cleared up. I am thoroughly surprised that wildlife has already returned there, as well as that anyone is actually going anywhere near it.

[@ItsChurchieYall]

So pumped to watch this! Today is my day off and I havent been able to find anything good to watch :D your content is always 10/10 👌

[@Roaryer]

I love when you sit down hoping for something good and actually get it!

[@nvrndingsmmr]

Phenomenal work Kyle and team, this is marvelous. So atmospheric, and so informative! Excited for the next bit!

[@RysenKai]

"Oh look someone uploaded another documentary from Netflix or something to KZbin" "What do you mean this is the original creator?" "What do you mean it's free!?"

[@mightydarkseid3098]

Must feel unreal now, to have walked there mere months ago, only for what is unfolding there currently to pose a threat of compromising the area further.

[@DakodaOK]

This is sincerely one of the best-done documentary approaches to a topic I've ever watched. There's a somber severity, but it's not overkill; I wanted to watch every second and now I'm dying to see the rest as well. Amazing job, Kyle.

[@jacobparslow8723]

This sort of thing has always been interesting to me. The why, the how, the little details not often talked about. To see it presented in this way by someone who's not bound by some big company to make some documentary makes it all that much more real. I can only imagine how it must have felt to be there and I know my imagination falls far short.

[@eideticex]

That clap demonstration of the time frame was a pretty powerful example while imagining that floor effectively turning into a tea kettle spout during that period. The anticipating knowing what is coming combined with the horror that they witnessed such a tremendous amount of continuous force with a similar anticipation enhanced with what I assume is an overwhelming sense of dread. Brilliant way to get it across.

[@_zedd1552]

ive always loved your slower, more reflective videos. Been waiting for the release of your Chernobyl trip, and cannot wait for more

[@jackhumphries4692]

I really struggle to focus on one thing at a time, I usually have KZbin on in the background as I play games or make magic decks. This is the sole piece of content I've seen in years that I didn't even think about putting on while I do something else. Half-life histories I often find myself pausing my game to watch properly but this, this is next level. I've loved your content since the before times back in the void and seeing you come this far is inspiring and amazing. Thank you for being such a fantastic communicator, passionate, down to earth, entertaining. Flawless content, thank you.

[@cherrydragon3120]

I often do the same. The half life video's are really interesting

[@thelegostarwarsf7916]

Ayo u said half life dat mean half lif 3 confirm 1!1!!1!11!

[@garbagegremlins4707]

So happy to see Kyle going in a new direction that makes him happy

[@zombiepoptarts40]

Truly one lucky human to be able to experience all that you have. I live vicariously through Kyle knowing I’ll never have any of the opportunities he has. And that’s okay. Amazing content and such a lovely and insanely humble person to watch.

[@daisyfox2452]

Amazing how utterly haunting the video is. The stark silence in a large industrial building has such an impact

[@luisvalenzuela9967]

Worthy of the Travel Channel. Someone get this man his own fully funded TV show. He is the next Bill Nye.

[@addisonsconca2710]

I have been waiting for what seems like an eternity for these videos and I am so excited to see the first one. I can't wait for the rest. Keep up the absolutely stellar work that you do good sir.

[@claramullen]

Kyle this was done amazingly. I have studied Chernobyl since the accident there is just so many involving factors that are interesting learning about. But it is also sad that there are many people that do not know the story.

[@ogKoral]

Of everything that happened, the 2000 ton cover being airborne for 10 seconds is what got me

[@ChiyoBebe.]

I am loving this content where it’s more cinematic

[@ironwolf2244]

This series is going to be a real hair raiser!!

[@natalie022]

For those wondering, Kyle addresses where the other parts are in his most recent video on his channel I think, or the most recent at least in his Half-Life Histories series

[@xINVISIGOTHx]

i hope you re-upload the other one that got taken down, it just needs some editing and it would be great for so many people to watch

[@nickcastplays]

This is absolutely wild. I’ve watched so many visits to Chernobyl and so many breakdowns and yet every single time I watch another visit it’s absolutely insane, eerie, humbling and just insane. To think about all that happened that day and all the powers at play is simply insane to think about. I can’t wait for part 2!

[@FangornAthran]

This was a great production, I can't wait to see more! I was a Reactor Operator for a US Navy Nuclear Submarine and always found Chernobyl Fascinating.

[@cherrydragon3120]

Oh cool. How does it feel to operate a nuclear submarine?

[@norgeek]

This captures the sheer size of the reactor hall so much better than any other source I've seen, thank you!

[@itskindofemily]

I still remember when they put that dome up. Its just iconic now!

[@austintruett1700]

I just love how beautiful the surrounding area is around chernobyl! It almost makes you forget about the radioactive materials!

[@sunhawk1104]

I can imagine the energy, I can also calculate it. Given the values of mass of the bio-shield and flight time, the resulting energy is 2,405,902,500 J with an initial velocity immediately after the explosion of 49.05 m/s, a max height of 122.63 m, and a force of 19,620,000 N. Edited to corrected force.

[@bcikablam3578]

even more crazy than that, that's only the energy that went directly into the bio shield as motion straight up, not the energy released as heat and in all other directions.

[@eddysw8549]

Shouldn't force be higher? The bio-shield is 2,000,000 kg, so just gravity would be holding it down with 19,620,000 N

[@MatterBeamTSF]

@@eddysw8549 I was thinking the same. It was suspended by the escaping steam by something with the force of 2x an F-1 rocket engine.

[@rogeriopenna9014]

That's only 0.0005 kilotons of TNT;

[@sunhawk1104]

Yep, I did a doh!!

[@420Khatz]

I just want to say this video was so beautifully put together- covering the facts about what happened while still managing to convey the gravity of the events that began to unfold that day. Something about the way this was shot and the music are just so touching. Well done.

[@Chopancho93]

I had the same idea as many commented here, that you were going to visit the ruins of the city and how everything got "stuck in time" adn was left abandonned as it was that day. But I was gladly surprised to see that you actually visited the power plant and the actual site where everything happened. This video was amazing, certainly one of the best I've seen you do! Congrats Kyle!!

[@lt3880]

its less "stuck in time" as the years go on. the place is constantly being looted and vandalized

[@Baltaczar]

I would love to see a recreation of that explosion that lifted those things for 10 seconds, not in reality, but with computers

[@jimserson2723]

Ya that would be something!

[@leokimvideo]

Strong memories of the amazing Bionerd23 who sadly had too much radiation exposure. It's amazing the Ukraine looks like it's frozen in the 80's

[@404BYTE]

I wonder what happened to her

[@sarahnail5478]

I hope she’s okay.

[@MaxDeckard]

@@404BYTE take a guess.

[@MaxDeckard]

@@sarahnail5478 okay in what sense?

[@philharper1717]

I can't find any evidence that she's not ok

[@Dragonroot95]

The immense amounts of respect you show for this with the work you and your crew have done is astounding. Hat's off, truly well put together.

[@coreymcconnell1908]

As a Millwright or Industrial Mechanic that my trade is called today, I install equipment that is insanely heavy( not quite 2 million kg) (never have moved anything that heavy), the scale of what you described with the 10 second duration you re-created with clapping hands really sunk it. The power harnessed by the nuclear reaction to lift that amount of weight and suspend it staggering. Mind blowing 🤯. Can't wait for the next segment,thank you

[@antonnym214]

Wow, man! Great stuff. I am a major student of the Chernobyl accident. I have 59 documentaries about it and yours is among the best. Your pacing is perfect. Nothing seems forced, and your research and presentation are excellent. In fact, your style reminds me of the wonderful work by Niklaus Geyrhalter in his documentary "Pripyat" of 1999. The music by Mëydan is so good! It is never in the way and always provides a superb, sympathetic tone. I am excited to see Part 2.

[@covenywoodworks8563]

YESSS i love your videos on chernobyl 😁 what a great surprise for my friday lunch break!!

[@charlesmayberry2825]

These videos really put it in perspective, just how exceptional, how violent the meltdown really was, Lifting 2000 tons for 10 seconds is an absolutely mind boggling amount of physical energy. The saddest part is that it really was such a preventable accident. I just came to this one after seeing the February video that is of Pripyat, I really like what you're doing with these, and just no drama, no frills. Explaining the reality of what went wrong, and the actual events. It always strikes me as odd that most documentaries on CNPP dramatize it, It doesn't need that, it was already dramatic enough.

[@lisaedmiston3873]

What an incredible experience this must have been for you! It certainly has been for me, just watching! Thank you so much for bringing us all the closest we will ever be to being there. So much to see inside the plant!

[@MrDancer893]

One remark: Slavutych - is a Kyiv region, Vyshgorod district)) Even though it is located at Chernihiv region's land. But anyway, thank you for such a great video. And see ya again at ChNPP!)

[@CasualQuasar]

This is astounding, and visiting the exclusion zone is something I've always aspired to do in my lifetime. I hope I still can. Thank you Kyle, for making this amazing piece of content!

[@tonyippolito7580]

Ugh kyle? What happened to part 2? I tried to show it to a friend and it says in not there anymore.

[@Jonnycrouch]

Beautifully put together, and some really lovely footage here. Between this and the half life histories series, I really enjoy it when you venture outside of The Facility!

[@flandyc4513]

PLEASE KYLE! I'd like to know what sort of conversations you had with all these scientists. Not just the ones there commonly but some of the other visitors too if possible!

[@justinbanks2380]

Just amazing video. Both cinematically and informationally. I've thoroughly enjoyed all of your content on radiation. I'm so happy you got this opportunity to go there as you're clearly passionate about it. I'm even more happy that you decided and were able to share the trip with us.

[@BeheadedKamikaze]

This is *incredible!* I look forward to the next one. But please, don't feel you have to rush it. This was worth the wait!

[@Wife_mouth]

Kyle, this is incredible. Since I was a child I’ve been fascinated by the disaster and this place. I have wanted to have the exact experience you’re showing here. How everyday life looks here now, how it feels to be in the plant. This is the closest I’ll likely ever get. Thank you so much.

[@DragonxFlutter]

I don’t know if I’d be brave enough to do this. I know that it’s, comparatively, far safer now than it was when the event first happened. But I’d still be freaking out and wondering if I’d get radiation sickness in my eyes or something.

[@superchingling6618]

I love love LOVE the amount of detail put into this. I have seen many documentaries about Chrnobyl, but this one really put things into perspective for me. I'm looking forward to the next part!

[@saintlybeginnings]

Looking forward to part 2..

[@ritathomas5167]

That was the fastest 17 minutes I've ever experienced! I have long had an interest in/fascination with Chernobyl, and I didn't want this to end. I literally cannot wait for the next in the series. I am so happy I found this channel - I was looking for a science video about Fukushima - which made me look at your video list. Just awesome! Thank You!!