The name Chernobyl is now synonymous with nuclear radiation.
It is cemented into our social consciousness and exemplifies why a safety culture surrounding atomic power is essential.
The 1986 meltdown at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant released 400 times more radioactive material than the Hiroshima atomic bomb.
But what caused this disaster?
In this video, we will take a detailed look at the events that led to the worst nuclear disaster in history.
During the 1970s, Russia was still the leader of the communist USSR, although tensions had eased slightly between Moscow and the US.
Russia had been using nuclear energy for over ten years, building the world's first atomic power plant that produced electricity in 1954.
In 1970, construction began on a new nuclear plant, the Chernobyl Power Complex in Ukraine.
The plant was just over 80 miles from Kiev and roughly 12 miles from Chernobyl.
The operation was massive, and a new town, called Pripyat after the nearby river, was built to house the workers and their families.
