4. The Three Heroes of Chernobyl
PHOTO: McClatchy DC
Most people know all about the nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl, but few know the names of the three clean-up volunteers who willingly swam through radioactive waters to stop a thermal explosion.
The three men were Alexi Ananenko, Valeri Bezpoalov, and Boris Baranov. The three suited up in scuba gear and swam into a flooded chamber of highly radioactive liquid that was pressurized and in danger of exploding. They opened the gate valve, allowing the contaminated water to drain and preventing an even bigger nuclear disaster.
All three men succumbed to radiation poisoning just a few days after the incident.
