Why Chernobyl's elephant's foot still raises alarms decades later

Time of India

13-06-2025

In a time when the world is focused on emerging technologies and geopolitical shifts, there are still stories from the past that haven't faded away. One of them lies deep beneath an abandoned structure in northern Ukraine– inside the crippled remains of Chernobyl's Reactor 4.
Nearly four decades after the catastrophic nuclear accident of 1986, a hardened mass of radioactive material known as the 'Elephant's Foot' continues to quietly sit underground, monitored by scientists but largely out of public view.
Once capable of killing within minutes, this dense radioactive formation remains a haunting reminder of the consequences of human and technical failure. While much has changed since that explosion, the material legacy it left behind still demands caution and respect.
The formation that should never have existed
When the Chernobyl reactor exploded, the heat inside the core reached temperatures high enough to melt nuclear fuel rods, steel, and concrete. This mixture created a kind of radioactive lava that moved through the building's structure. As it cooled, it solidified into strange and sometimes massive shapes.
One of the most well-known of these formations is the Elephant's Foot– a name given because of its rough, wrinkled appearance.
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It was eventually identified as corium, a material formed during a nuclear meltdown. It's not a natural substance. It's the result of extreme conditions– temperatures, pressure, and radiation– combining to create a new and dangerous compound.
At its peak, a silent killer
When it was first discovered, the Elephant's Foot was emitting over 10,000 roentgens of radiation per hour, as per a report presented by the Economic Times. To put it simply, that level of exposure could kill a human being within minutes.
Scientists who approached it at the time had to rely on remote cameras, protective barriers, and extremely limited contact.
The intensity of the radiation also interfered with electronics. Footage taken near the site showed visible static and distortion. One viewer later commented: 'The white specks on screen are not the camera quality, but in fact the radiation messing with the film/camera itself.'
Symptoms of even brief exposure included nausea, vomiting, and dizziness– early signs of radiation poisoning.
For anyone who stayed near it too long, the effects could be fatal within days.
Scientists who faced the danger up close
Despite the extreme risks, a few individuals made direct contact with the Elephant's Foot to document and study it. Among them was Artur Korneyev, a Kazakhstani radiation expert who visited the site multiple times and helped capture some of the earliest images of the mass.
'We had to use a Kalashnikov to chip pieces off,' a scientist involved in the investigation said, referring to the density of the material, as quoted by the Economic Times.
Korneyev, known for his dark sense of humour, once told The New York Times, 'Soviet radiation is the best radiation in the world.' He continued his work for years after his exposure and is believed to have passed away in 2022 at the age of 73.
Camera footage that told a radioactive story
Other professionals, such as physicist Alexander Kupny, also played a key role in documenting the post-disaster environment. In 1989, he entered the structure with protective gear and used remote cameras to study the interior.
By taking careful steps and limiting his exposure, he managed to avoid serious health effects.
His recordings, now archived and viewed globally, show the eerie silence and decay inside the damaged reactor. Early Soviet footage taken just days after the accident by filmmaker Vladimir Shevchenko showed similar interference caused by radiation. Unaware at first, Shevchenko had captured the impact of radiation on film itself– a rare occurrence and one that underlined the gravity of the situation.
A hazard that still exists, though muted
While the Elephant's Foot is no longer as dangerous as it once was, it has not become harmless. Over time, the surface of the mass has begun to crack and degrade. As quoted by the Economic Times, according to Maxim Saveliev from the Institute for Safety Problems of Nuclear Power Plants, the material now 'more or less has the consistency of sand.'
Though the radiation levels have dropped, the site remains closed to the public, and specialists continue to monitor it.
The risk of contamination, collapse, or radioactive dust spreading remains a concern for experts managing the remnants of the reactor.
The broader fallout: Human and environmental impact
The explosion at Chernobyl did not just create radioactive debris. According to the Economic Times report, it forced over 400,000 people to relocate. Cleanup operations involved nearly half a million workers, many of whom were exposed to high radiation. While 31 deaths were officially reported in the immediate aftermath, broader estimates of long-term health impacts range from 4,000 to as high as 60,000 deaths due to related illnesses.
Many cases of thyroid cancer, particularly among children, have been linked to exposure in the years following the explosion. The Elephant's Foot is a symbol of this larger, far-reaching legacy.
A renewed risk during wartime
In 2022, the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone made global headlines again, not due to a new accident, but because of military conflict. During the early stages of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Russian troops occupied the site, raising concerns over nuclear safety.
Reports indicated that soldiers may have dug trenches in contaminated areas, exposing themselves to unsafe levels of radiation. Ukrainian officials warned of the potential for another crisis if power were cut to essential systems that stabilise the plant. One official noted that the soldiers could have received 'significant doses' of radiation.