While it sounds like something out of science fiction, this chilling phenomenon exists in the real world.
A certain object possessed the power to harm or even kill through mere observation.
The item is so deadly that just five minutes of exposure could leave the victim with only two days to live.
The mysterious lump is known as the ‘Elephant’s Foot.’
This highly radioactive mass, formed from the molten remains of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor’s core, is quite possibly the most dangerous singular object on earth – and the ways in which it can harm you are absolutely horrific.
It was created during the catastrophic meltdown of Reactor No. 4 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine in April 1986.
The reactor’s control rods, which were supposed to slow down the nuclear reaction, cracked under the intense heat, further escalating the disaster.
As the core became unstable, the cooling water vaporized, building up pressure until the reactor exploded, releasing massive amounts of radiation.
The meltdown of Chernobyl is one of the worst nuclear disasters in history, and the area around the plant was quickly declared an exclusion zone due to the extreme levels of radiation.
Emergency workers and clean-up crews, known as ‘liquidators,’ were sent in to contain the situation, but they quickly discovered the true scale of the danger lurking beneath the reactor.
The extreme heat from the reactor caused the steel and concrete that were supposed to shield the core to melt, creating a toxic and radioactive mixture that fell to the floor beneath the reactor.
At its most dangerous point, shortly after the disaster, the Elephant’s Foot emitted radiation at a rate of 10,000 roentgens per hour – around 1,000 times the dose necessary to cause cancer.
Just 30 seconds of exposure would cause dizziness and fatigue, while two minutes would result in hemorrhaging of cells.
After five minutes, the radiation exposure would almost certainly prove fatal within two days.
In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, the clean-up crews were unable to approach the site of the Elephant’s Foot.
In the following years, radiation levels around the Elephant’s Foot gradually decreased, but the mass remained a deadly source of contamination.
Ten years after the disaster, the US Department of Energy took more photos, revealing the drastic decline in radiation.
However, even then, the radiation was still so intense that it interfered with the camera film.
One of the most notable images taken at the time shows Artur Korneyev, the deputy director of the Shelter Object, standing near the Elephant’s Foot.
He used a time-delay camera to minimize his exposure to radiation.
Korneyev made hundreds of trips to the site, more than anyone else, and survived his visits despite the lethal nature of the radiation.
As of 2021, Korneyev was still living in Ukraine, although it is uncertain whether he is still alive today, per Mail Online.
In 2016, a massive concrete and steel structure known as the New Safe Confinement was erected around the reactor to prevent further radiation leaks.
This structure was designed to contain the spread of radioactive dust and protect the surrounding environment from potential further explosions.
Despite these efforts, scientists are unsure how the Elephant’s Foot will change over time.
Although radiation levels continue to decrease, it is expected that the Elephant’s Foot will remain dangerous for decades, perhaps even centuries, to come.
