Chernobyl, a single event that could’ve caused catastrophic damage lasting nearly 500,000 years, making Europe a barren nuclear wasteland, if not for three men’s bravery and quick thinking.

On April 26th, 1986, one of the four nuclear reactors of the Chernobyl nuclear power station exploded, spreading nuclear fallout throughout the area and causing several large fires, after the fires had downed many people had calmed down and came to their senses, they then recognized a much more dangerous and destructive problem would soon appear.

A month later in early May, the fourth reactor was still melting down. In the reactor, there lay a pool of water; the coolant for the power plant and second steam explosion waiting to happen. This steam explosion could’ve caused a larger and much more destructive explosion, transforming a majority of Europe into a nuclear wasteland, but three men, all plant workers, went down to try to shut off the steam values, something that the others who worked in the plant would’ve called a suicide mission. The workers succeeded! If not for this one intervention, an open opportunity, and three men, then half of Europe would be uninhabitable for 500,000 years.