Chernobyl disaster survivor reveals haunting vision after explosion – and shock at people today who don’t know about the horrors

I still remember hearing about the unbelievable scenes after the Chernobyl disaster. It wasn’t some made-up story, though – it was what people actually witnessed. Just over three months after Reactor Four exploded, I heard about a man named Belyakov, a chemistry lecturer like myself, who was called up to help with the cleanup. He was from Dnipropetrovsk, about 390 miles away, and like thousands of others, he was drafted in to deal with the dangerous radioactive waste. It was a crucial step, because they needed to clear everything before they could safely cover the reactor with concrete and stop the radiation from spreading further.

Michael Portillo reveals two near-death experiences he encountered in Japan – and the most futuristic thing he found

I was literally sinking into black sand – it was quite an experience! Because Japan has so much volcanic activity, hot springs are really popular. I tried one on Kyushu, the southernmost of the main Japanese islands, where they heat the sand underground. Then, they bury you in it! People believe it’s great for your health – improving circulation, aiding digestion, that sort of thing. Honestly, it’s no stranger than going to a sauna.