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BBC Inside Science

What was learnt from the Chernobyl disaster and how has it shaped UK energy production?

Published April 16, 2026, 4:00 PM
Updated May 8, 2026, 3:48 AM2.7K
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BBC Inside Science

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Episode details

Radio 4,16 Apr 2026,28 mins

Available for 34 days

For 40 years scientists have been fascinated by the exclusion zone surrounding the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. Professor Jim Smith from the University of Portsmouth is one of those scientists, a frequent visitor over the past 20 years. He joins Inside Science to explain whether the region still suffers after the nuclear fallout and how how it has shaped European energy production. It is a month for anniversaries, and with David Attenborough turning 100, each week we take a look at a species which has found itself named after the behavioural ecologist. And finally, the latest science news in the world of astronomy brought to you by astronomer Dr Jeni Millard.

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