Radiation is a part of life on Earth, but in some locations, levels are dangerously high—whether from nuclear accidents, weapons testing, industrial activity, or natural deposits. These places highlight the risks that come with handling radioactive material and the long-term damage it can leave behind. Chernobyl in Ukraine remains the most well-known nuclear disaster site.
▬Contents of this video▬
00:00 – Intro
00:44 – 1. Chernobyl, Ukraine
02:45 – 2. Fukushima, Japan
04:46 – 3. The Polygon (Semipalatinsk Test Site), Kazakhstan
06:48 – 4. Mailuu-Suu, Kyrgyzstan
07:41 – 5. Hanford Site, Washington, USA
09:37 – 6. Goiania, Brazil
09:33 – 7. Sellafield, United Kingdom
10:27 – 8. Mayak, Russia
11:21 – 9. Siberian Chemical Combine, Russia
12:17 – 10. Ramsar, Iran
13:12 – Outro
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The 1986 reactor explosion spread radioactive fallout across Europe, and much of the Exclusion Zone is still unsafe. Fukushima in Japan followed in 2011 when an earthquake and tsunami triggered a meltdown, contaminating land and sea. Kazakhstan’s Polygon was the Soviet Union’s primary nuclear testing ground, leaving behind severe radiation and health problems in nearby communities.
Mailuu-Suu in Kyrgyzstan, a former uranium mining town, faces ongoing risks from unstable radioactive waste dumps. In the U.S., the Hanford Site in Washington produced plutonium for nuclear weapons and now faces a multi-decade cleanup effort. Goiania, Brazil, suffered from a tragic accident when scavengers unknowingly spread cesium-137 from an old medical device, leading to widespread contamination.
Sellafield in the UK processed nuclear fuel and leaked radioactive waste into the environment, especially the Irish Sea. Mayak in Russia was the site of the Kyshtym disaster, long hidden by Soviet secrecy. The nearby Techa River and surrounding regions remain contaminated. In Siberia, the chemical plant in Seversk left behind radioactive pollution due to years of secretive weapons production.
Lastly, Ramsar, Iran, shows how nature itself can be a source of radiation. High levels come from radium-rich springs and local building materials, but locals seem surprisingly unaffected—making it a place of scientific interest. These ten sites show how radiation, whether man-made or natural, continues to shape environments, affect lives, and raise important questions about long-term safety.
Top 10 Most Radioactive Places on Earth