![]() This suggests that people exposed to radiation from the Chernobyl accident didn’t pass on any adverse effects to their children. The number of DNMs found in the children was similar to that in the general population. Such “de novo” mutations (DNMs) will appear in children’s genomes but not in either parent’s. ![]() The team looked for random, spontaneous mutations that occurred in the parents’ sperm and eggs. ![]() The scientists estimated each parent’s radiation exposure based on parents’ reports of their activity and knowledge of environmental radiation around the power plant. The children were all born at least 46 weeks after the accident and up to the year 2002. The parents had either worked on cleaning up after the accident or were evacuated from the nearby town. The researchers sequenced the genomes of 130 children and their parents. Stephen Chanock and Meredith Yeager, examined whether radiation exposure causes genetic damage that can be passed to offspring. Results were published on April 22, 2021, in Science. The studies were led by researchers at NIH’s National Cancer Institute (NCI). Two studies examining the genetic changes in those in the area at the time of the accident and their children provide new insights into the health effects of radiation exposure. Such radiation is known to cause changes, or mutations, in DNA. In April 1986, an accidental reactor explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in present-day Ukraine exposed millions of people in the surrounding area to radioactive contaminants. I'm not a scientist, of course, so I can't give an educated answer as to whether it's too late, but I passionately hope it isn't.Researchers used DNA sequencing technology to explore the effects of radiation from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Nor has the threat of a nuclear disaster lessened, from either weapons or accidents. My optimism has been dampened lately by the stream of reports about arctic ice melting and governments unwilling to take the necessary steps to slow down climate change. Some of the photographs have an emotional resonance because of the health consequences the accident had for so many people, and this has been most acute for me with the photographs of kindergartens and playgrounds.ĭo you consider yourself an optimist in regard to environmental issues? An example is slippers and toys on a kindergarten floor that has extraordinary color. There are some photographs I love for their unexpected beauty. Photographing the reactor from a fixed vantage point over the years, as well as Soviet flags in a stairwell, are examples that are intellectually satisfying. With so many photographs made over a long period, there are several that seem key, in the sense they opened me to looking at a situation as having a rich photographic potential. Is there a specific image or story behind an image that means a great deal to you ? I have to say that on every visit, there were situations which I hadn't previously realized could make an interesting photograph, but suddenly seemed to have possibilities. The zone was changing, and I wanted that to be part of the body of work. The rephotographing of sites I had seen on previous visits became important, and photographs of floors and vegetation became new subjects for me. As I gained a sense of the scope of what was possible, I realized there were several themes I responded to, such as the abundance of Soviet-era artifacts and the aforementioned growth and decay. My original visit in 1994 was speculative in the sense that I didn't know what I'd find or how freely I'd be allowed to travel. When looking back at years of work, were there new narratives or interesting details that you might have overlooked or not been aware of at the time? As the threat of radiation has diminished, the proliferation of wild boars has been somewhat concerning, but the current hazard is the buildings that are collapsing. As far as safety is concerned, I accepted that there was a risk of sorts, but I was advised where the most highly contaminated areas were and to spend less time there.
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