Intheearlyhoursofthemorningof26April1986,thenuclearreactorattheChernobylpowerplantinUkraineexploded,unleashingastormofradioactivematerialintotheatmosphereandcontaminatingmostofEuropewithitsfallout.Itwasadisasteronanunprecedentedscale.Inthiscomprehensiveguide,IanFitzgeraldexplorestheeventsastheyunfolded:thesciencebehindtheexplosionandwhatwentwrong;thehubrisandheroismshownonthegroundasengineers,firefighters,doctorsandgovernmentofficialsallworkedtocontainthefiasco;aswellasthecover-upsandrecriminationsthatfollowed.Photographsrevealthehumansidetothestoryandtheordinarymenandwomanwhoputtheirlivesonthelinetoescapetotalcatastrophe.Fitzgeraldaskswhatlessonscanbelearned-andwhat,ifanything,wearedoingtomakesuretheycanneverhappenagain.
