Sergey Plokhy tells the dramatic story of six major nuclear disasters that befell humanity in the twentieth century: the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the destruction of the Fukushima-1 station as a result of the tsunami, the nuclear tests on Bikini Atoll, the Kyshtym accident, the fire at the Windscale station and the accident on Three Mile Island. Drawing on in-depth research and witness statements, bad traces the unfolding of each crisis, key decisions made by participants in events, and the response of governments that often tried to hide the scale of disasters. At the same time, the author expands the focus of the historical perspective, analyzing in detail the ideologies, political vectors and cultures that contributed to the tragic events.