Vespula
O1:23:58 AM, disaster strikes, resulting in large amounts of uncontrolled radiation released into the atmosphere. Over the next 25,OOO years, everything within a radius of 3O km is declared uninhabitable. Every living being within this area undergoes mutation. At the heart of this lies an exploded nuclear reactor, causing the highest exposure to radioactivity ever recorded. This is Chernobyl on April 26, 1986.
Since 1986, two structures have been erected over the reactor to prevent further exposure to high levels of radioactivity. The first of these structures, called the sarcophagus, was build by the former Soviet Union shortly after the disaster. However, it proved inadequate after only 1O years and required additional interventions. A competition was announced by the Ukrainian government for a new structure called the new confinement structure. Construction began in 2O1O with final placement over the reactor in 2O16. However, this structure will only provide a lifespan of 1OO years.
Nature has its own ways of construction and problem-solving. These techniques are thousands of years old and have been proven time over time again. They maintain a balance with each other and their surroundings. Through evolution certain techniques sustained, thus proving their validity. Insects have maintained their construction methods for millenia and this has repeatedly shown its ingenuity. Some of these nest architectures are still intact thousands of years later, proving the potential lifespan of these constructions.
As an example, the Asian hornet builds its nest consisting of multiple layers. When the hornet’s nest becomes too small, it expands it by adding a new layer to the existing envelope. Identical to the hornet, adding a new layer over its nest, we add a new layer over Chernobyl when necessary. Using this construction method of the hornet we can create a expanding structure bringing a solution for the next 25,OOO years. This leads to one large structure over Chernobyl instead of building 25O separate structures.