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After the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear explosion in Ukraine, scientists believed radiation had created a vast and barren wasteland in which life could never resurface. But the Dead Zone, as the contaminated area is known, doesn't look dead at all. In fact, wildlife seems to be thriving there. The Zone is home to beetles, swallows, catfish, mice, voles, otters, beavers, wild boar, foxes, lynx, deer, moose even brown bears and wolves. Yet the animals in the Zone are not quite what you'd expect. Every single one of them is radioactive.In Chernobyl's Wild Kingdom, you'll meet the international scientists investigating the Zone's wildlife and trying to answer difficult questions: Have some animals adapted to living with radiation? Or is the radioactive environment harming them in ways we can't see or that will only show up in future generations? Learn more about the fascinating ongoing research and the debates that surround the findings in one of the most dangerous places on Earth.



About the Author

Rebecca L. Johnson

Rebecca L. Johnson has brought science to life in dozens of national award-winning books for children and young adults, including Zombie Makers: True Stories of Nature's Undead (ALA Notable, Junior Library Guild Selection, Junior Library Guild Top Pick, Kirkus Best Children's Books) . Her books highlight why science is such an exciting endeavor: there is no shortage of new species, remarkable adaptations, and fresh insights into life on earth. She has been fortunate to work with many scientists in far-flung corners of the planet and bases much of her writing on personal experience.

"Through my books, I hope to show young people that the world is full of wonders, and that science is the path that leads to them."



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