Stalker. Chernobyl today, as it is.

As a result of the Chernobyl disaster in Belarus in 1986 24,7 thousand people were evacuated from the area of 1,7 thousand square km. At the same land in this area have been withdrawn from economic use, and in 1988 - created Polesie State Radiation Ecological Reserve (PSRER).
Then this area was 1,313 thousand square km. After accession in 1993 of the resettlement areas adjacent area of the reserve has increased to 2,154 thousand sq km.
In Belarus, the Chernobyl zone consists of two parts. First - the zone of alienation. There is limited human activity, it is planting forests to prevent the transfer of radionuclides from the dust. Closer to Chernobyl - the exclusion zone, where any human activity is not conducted in view of the high levels of radiation.
Within a radius of 5-15 km from the station level of contamination of diets is higher than near it, because the territory adjacent to the plant was deactivated - flunked and taken away for burial the top layer of soil.
In the popular computer games and science fiction novels in the area inhabited by different mutants, which are fighting with some "stalkers".
But the reality on the Belarusian territory, near the border with Ukraine, in the village (of course, resettlement) Masan in 1994, was established research station to monitor the surroundings.

Picturesque place Masan chosen not by accident - here, in addition to high levels of radiation, in a small area has all the features of the landscape of the Belarusian Polesie.
From the territory of farmstead, consisting of several houses, was withdrawn 40-cm layer of soil saturated with radionuclides, and instead casting up clean mounts soil. In an empty house settled scientists.
The high level of contamination dictates the features of everyday life - on the station and beyond, to places frequented by employees, and is primarily meteorological, laid wooden flooring.

Rare visitors are met by the first two barking mutts. Senior mongrel, which feels admixture taxes, lives in Masani fourth year.
Upon entering the "House residence staff shift" - the official name of this monastery, on the porch instead of the floor mat is "a washer" shoes soles.

Stalker (researcher Andrei Razdorskaya, in past ichthyologist of Navy) shows the station.
If at "before-Chernobyl" era of local villages been used electricity from the Chernobyl nuclear power station, then for energy research station uses solar panels and diesel generator. Because of this basic equipment and lighting at the station is designed for 12 volts. But also have and converter to 220.
For water supply uses specially drilled wells. Also drinking water is brought here.
In this area at "after-Chernobyl" period abundantly bred animals. So, one day I saw two moose, a herd of 5 deer and a herd of 19 wild boar. Moreover, they соме from the woods on the territory of Ukraine and quietly grazing in the Belarusian field.
But eating this animals, grown on radioactive feed, is bad idea. The same goes for plants and especially mushrooms. However, because of remoteness from roads and settlements, mushroom pickers and hunters do not appear here.
Border guards on this area of the border - also rare. To get here a potential offender, he would have done 50-mile path through the Belarusian protected zone, and to fall into the protected 30-km zone in Ukraine.
At the research station Masan usually live two scientists by 12-14 days a month.

Like all other workers in Station, scientists Masanov never seen this type of mutant animals, two-headed calves. Ask Andrew indelicate question about the effects of radiation on the organism in terms of relations with the fair sex. Andrew acknowledged that before working at Masani in his family was one child, and since 2002 were born four of them.
His colleague's problems also did not feel inviting to the next time you come here with the girls-journalist.
Attention of scientists, mainly on meteorological observations. Local meteorological closest to Chernobyl, to which about 12 kilometers away.
In the house - working and living room, kitchen, bathroom, storage (in batteries storing energy from solar panels).
In the labor room - a laptop, communication systems, some devices and mandatory "tool" of scientists of the Chernobyl zone - a professional radiomer radiation.
In the chair sleeping new "permanent employee" station cat Boris. At the station, he lives less than a year, and during that time Boris has successfully destroyed all the mice that eat food. Outside the house, Boris tries to move on deck.

Communication is carried out on the radio. Self cellular communication here is possible only in networks of Ukrainian mobile operators. Well, by the way, accepted Ukrainian TV channels too. To use the services of the Belarusian mobile operators, we have to raise a minimum of 20-meter high observation tower. From there possible to catch and internet access.
It's funny to see a scientist with a laptop climbs on the tower to use the web.

From the tower is the most beautiful panorama of Polesie. In the south-east rise the pipe and the shell of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. To the right - 16-floor buildings of Pripyat. Visible and the 5-floor building.
Standing on the observation tower, looking at a huge empty area of Polesie, do not stop to wonder how much trouble visible on the horizon NPP had done. It will take more than one hundred years before this land will be suitable for permanent human habitation.

Luna Park of forever dead city Pripyat.

This Ferris wheel in the former city of Pripyat in the windy night, according to rumors, ride the souls of the dead firefighters - Chernobyl.
Nature slowly erases the memory of civilization, and in 50-60 years this city will absorb by forest.