Could Chernobyl happen again without human error?
The Chernobyl nuclear disaster was a catastrophic accident, BBC Science Focus looks at whether this could happen again.
Asked by: Jean Hamman, Germany
Probably not. The Chernobyl accident was caused by staff overriding automatic fail-safe mechanisms to conduct a risky experiment; because of a design fault in the control rods, this led to the explosion. Improved mechanisms render modern reactors extremely safe.
Subscribe to BBC Focus magazine for fascinating new Q&As every month and follow @sciencefocusQA on Twitter for your daily dose of fun science facts.
Authors
Subscription offer
Subscribe and try your first 3 issues for just £5. After your introductory period you will pay just £22.99 every 6 issues by Direct Debit. Receive every issue delivered direct to your door with FREE UK delivery.
