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The Chernobyl nuclear disaster created a forest where trees can't decompose, so 30 years of dead wood just piles up without rotting.
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Science Gone WrongFeb 04, 2026

The Chernobyl nuclear disaster created a forest where trees can't decompose, so 30 years of dead wood just piles up without rotting.

Chernobyl radiation prevents dead trees from decomposing. Thirty years of fallen wood just piles higher. The radiation killed all decomposing bacteria and fungi. Scientists worry it could create massive wildfires. Nature's recycling system completely broke down.

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