Where I Work: Chernobyl.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. Almost all the admitted/confirmed human deaths from Chernobyl were the handful

of first responders to the fire, and some who entered the facility trying to restore water flow early on in the meltdown, less than 50 ... is that recollection correct?

Not that we should necessarily trust the accounting of the USSR, but I'd imagine if that number was wildly wrong, people would've proven it's a big lie by now.

Any proof of elevated cancer rates among people around the edge of the exclusion zone?

Let me add that one of my ALL TIME favorite computer games is a first-person shooter (released 2007) that takes place in a fictional version of the exclusion zone. It's called S.T.A.L.K.E.R - Shadow of Chernobyl. I've played the whole thing through numerous times. It was made by a Ukrainian game studio. Really cool game, but totally made up nonsense.

In the game world, which takes place around Chernobyl (and Pripyat), there's all kinds of mutant animals, and various (of course fictional) radiation-based anomalies that occasionally produce 'artifacts' that 'Stalkers' invade the exclusion zone to collect (which are valuable and also provide enhancements to your character) ... and there's various warring factions (one is a left wing and one is right wing outfit), and scientists doing experiments and such. Supposedly the geography/buildings/topography and such are quite accurate, even if not 'to scale' exactly.