The scientists had presented him with two possible prognoses for the molten fuel currently scorching its way toward the basement of Unit Four. The first was that the heat of radioactive decay could gradually dissipate on its own; according to their calculations, that might take months. The second scenario, presented by Academician Legasov and old man Aleksandrov, was much darker. In addition to Velikhov’s fear that, reaching 2,800 degrees, the collision of the molten fuel with the water of the suppression pool could result in a blast of steam that would destroy the remains of Unit Four and
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