Events

Science on Tap: Medical Effects of the Chernobyl Accident

Science on Tap is not your ordinary lecture series. Forget stuffy classrooms; we’re bringing top-tier scientists and subject matter experts to a relaxed environment where the conversation flows.

Forty years after the April 26, 1986, disaster, the legacy of Chernobyl remains a battleground between medical fact and political friction. While the Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS) suffered by nuclear operators and first responders is well-documented, the long-term epidemiological impact remains one of the most debated topics in nuclear history.

Key Discussion Points:

• The Knowns: A summary of the immediate radiation effects on reactor operators.
• The Unknowns: Why 40 years of research haven't settled the questions regarding long-term disease.
• The Conflict: How the Chernobyl aftermath is as much a political issue as a medical one.

Event Details

• Thursday, April 09, 2026 | Doors Open at 5:30 pm | Presentation at 6:00 pm
• Location: National Museum of Nuclear Science & History
• Admission: $12 per person
• Requirement: Must be 21+ to attend. An adult must accompany younger guests.

This series is proudly co-sponsored by the University of New Mexico Nuclear Engineering and the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History.

Buy Your Tickets Today

MEET OUR SPEAKER

Dr. Michael Hartshorne

Retired Nuclear Radiologist & Former Army Medical Corps Physician, A Los Alamos native, Dr. Mike spent 20 years with the Army Medical Corps teaching medical responses to radiation accidents for the military and the VA.

He was among the hundreds of researchers who conducted field surveys in the former USSR, investigating thyroid cancer links to I-131 releases following the Chernobyl accident and nuclear testing at the Polygon in Kazakhstan.