The transcript is a dialogue from a podcast episode discussing nuclear accidents, specifically the Chernobyl disaster in 1986 and the Busto de Mayak accident in 1968. The host, Átila Irradiated, a biologist researcher, explains the critical mass concept and the differences between an atomic bomb and a nuclear fuel processing plant.
In 1968, a worker at the Busto de Mayak complex accidentally caused a nuclear chain reaction by spilling plutonium. The radiation was so intense that it killed the worker and the supervisor who tried to stop the reaction.
The 1986 Chernobyl disaster began when cooling water boiled in a safety test, causing a series of human errors. The reactor went into critical age, the steam detonated the reactor, and tons of radioactive material were released into the air, including uranium fuel. The firefighters who tried to extinguish the fire were exposed to high levels of radiation and none survived.
The host also mentions a book by ex-democrat Rodrigo Da Silva, who will be a guest in the next episode. The host invites listeners to learn English for a world of information and shares a link to a previous episode about simulated realities. The episode ends with a music track.
1. The speaker is Átila, a biologist and researcher. [Source: Document 1]
2. The topic of discussion is the Chernobyl disaster and the 'elephant's foot', a term used to describe the aftermath of the incident. [Source: Document 1]
3. The 'elephant's foot' refers to radioactive elements found in Sweden in April 1986, which could not have been formed in the Forsmark nuclear power plant. [Source: Document 1]
4. The incident occurred when Robinson workers at the Forsmark nuclear power plant in Sweden returned from coffee when a radiation detector went off. [Source: Document 1]
5. The worker tested the shoe of one of his colleagues, finding radioactive elements that could not have been formed in the plant. [Source: Document 1]
6. The incident was taken as a sign that an unintentional atomic bomb detonation had occurred. [Source: Document 1]
7. The speaker explains that dealing with radioactive material is different from dealing with any other material in ecology. [Source: Document 1]
8. An atomic bomb detonates when a critical mass of a radioactive element is reached, causing a chain reaction where neutrons released by the atoms cause others to release even more neutrons. [Source: Document 1]
9. The speaker mentions an accident at the Busto de Mayak complex in December 1968, where a worker testing new solvents transferred a plutonium solution towards a pan, which resulted in a chain reaction similar to an atomic bomb. [Source: Document 1]
10. The worker who handled the plutonium solution received 700 radiation yields, enough to kill a normal person. [Source: Document 1]
11. The supervisor was killed by the second wave of radiation from the spilled plutonium. [Source: Document 1]
12. The plant processes nuclear fuel to extract elements produced in a reactor for the production of bombs. [Source: Document 1]
13. The storage of uranium-like material poses a problem as it continues to produce heat even after being used for three years. [Source: Document 1]
14. The speaker discusses the Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine, a Soviet RBMK reactor that used graphite around water-cooled uranium. [Source: Document 1]
15. The cooling water boiled and the reactor went into critical age due to a series of human errors during a safety test. [Source: Document 1]
16. The steam detonated the reactor, the ceiling, and a large part of the building, releasing tons of radioactive material into the air. [Source: Document 1]
17. The firefighters who tried to put out the fire were exposed to three times more radiation than the levels that could kill someone in five minutes. [Source: Document 1]
18. In total, 54 people died directly from exposure to radiation. [Source: Document 1]
19. The Finns had imported Soviet nuclear reactors and installed radiation detectors throughout the country due to their lack of safety. [Source: Document 1]
20. The Soviet Union initially denied that there were problems at the Soviet nuclear plant. [Source: Document 1]
21. The second biggest nuclear disaster in history was the Fukushima power plant disaster in Japan in 2011. [Source: Document 1]
22. The speaker mentions a book by Rodrigo Da Silva, which deals with several nuclear accidents. [Source: Document 1]
23. The speaker suggests that to understand something, it's important to learn English in a world of information. [Source: Document 1]