Animals Are Thriving in Chornobyl's Human-Free Zone, Study Finds

Summary: Almost 40 years ago, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded, leaving a huge area dangerously radioactive. People had to leave, creating a 1,000-square-mile exclusion zone where humans rarely go. But scientists have found a huge surprise: wild animals are doing great there!

Without humans around, animals like wild horses, moose, wolves, lynxes, and bears have taken over. Researchers used hidden cameras and saw way more animals in these connected, protected zones than in places where people live. It turns out that for wildlife, living in a radioactive zone is actually better than dealing with humans.

For more details, see sciencealert at sciencealert.com/animals-are-thriving-in-chornobyls-human-free-zone-study-finds (opens in new tab)