Robots could someday help dispose of nuclear waste. Scientists from the University of Bristol working on the problem recently paid a visit to some of the most contaminated places at the abandoned Chernobyl nuclear facility to further this goal. The researchers are helping develop new technologies, including using a Boston Dynamics robot dog to deal with radioactive waste.
Chernobyl’s control room was ground zero for the infamous 1986 disaster at the plant, where a reactor meltdown killed two in an explosion, 28 from acute radiation syndrome, and 15 from child thyroid cancer, and exposed untold thousands of people to harmful radiation. Now, the scientists are hoping that the site of the disaster can help train robots to help humans stay safe in the decommissioning process.
