Regarding Chernobyl, my brother's family was in the fallout pattern, Ramstein AFB, Germany. So far the boys have done just fine, no untoward problems.
As for Chernobyl itself: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/radioacti...tion/7108/
As for Chernobyl itself: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/radioacti...tion/7108/