Chernobyl is a name surrounded by fear, pain, myths and legends of different kinds. People tend to try and explain something that disastrous with supernatural things which is understandable. We seldom want to admit that our own faults can result in something that will affect life of thousands of people.
One of the most common legends is that thousands of people died due to the disaster, which is not true. There's a LIST of 38 people whose deaths are directly attributable to the event. 2 people died on scene, several in a single helicopter crash and despite the myth 29 people died within a few months of Acute Radiation Syndrome. Doesn't really look like thousands, right? People in the nearby town Pripyat got evacuated immeadiately after the disaster, turning the city into a ghost which still stands as a reminder of the catastrophe.
The second most popular legend about the Chernobyl accident is that it has affected area's wildlife leading to terrifying mutations. According to the legend you can still meet some of those "monsters" if you go there. Google search will gladly show you those "mutations", fake mostly. In reality, natural selection has proved otherwise. Yes, there were a few cases of extreme mutations, but those poor creatured died and eventually this sort of genes were never passed on to the species. In fact, Today, observations and population counts show ever-increasing and thriving populations of native animals – bird of all varieties, deer, elk, boar, wolves, horses, small rodents and insects. While research has confirmed that their internal radiation levels are relatively high, there do not appear to be gross physical mutations, except in relatively minor occurrences. Rodents, for example, have shorter life spans and smaller litters; some beetles have shorter horns; swallows have smaller brains; and some animals exhibit albinism. These are conditions which may not impact their ability to survive and thrive. In general, the animal populations look somewhat “normal”, despite the radiation levels that persist.
And, of course, there is a legend about the Black Bird of Chernobyl. It is described as a bird like creature or a headless man with a 20 foot wingspan and red eyes. It was sighted days leading up to the disaster but have never been seen afterwards. People experienced nightmared, threatening phone calls and first-hand encounters with the beast. Unfortunately we will never know whether it was something real or made up as a result of shock or a paranormal event.
Chernobyl nowadays is an active sight with a crew of workers assigned to it and their families living in the nearby area. Some of the natives came back to their homes, too. There are also tours provided to Pripyat since 2002. So whenever you feel like experiencing a Fallout atmosphere in real life, just book a trip there.
Pripyat before and after the disaster (in Russian, but you'll get the picture) HERE
@missy @rambo
