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The Chernobyl disaster left behind many consequences for society. The “exclusion area” was formed, which was the territory surrounding the nuclear power station where radiation levels were too high. For this reason, food cultivated around this area is not consumable. But is seems not to be a problem for “Atomik“, the new vodka brand created with ingredients from Chernobyl.

Radioactive territory

The brand claims to have cultivated the ingredients in said exclusion area. And opposite to what you would believe, its creators affirm it’s not any more radioactive than any other vodka brand.

Apparently, the distillation process which the ingredients take part in allows the beverage to be drinkable. The company claims that this process removes all sorts of impurities and every other undesirable thing it could contain. Which, according to them, includes radiation.

The bigger story

“Atomik” has been born as a product from an investigation that has been ongoing for the last three years. Its objective is determining the effects radiation has on agriculture. Because of this, a group of scientists from Ukraine and the UK have carried out several tests with different crops.

The vodka brand appeared as an initiative to support the project, as well as the indigenous population. These people will receive 75% of the income the project will raise. However, for the time being, that number still remains very low, as the beverage hasn’t even been commercialized yet.

People are unsure

What “The Chernobyl Spirit Company” wants is launch this alcoholic drink as soon as possible. Thus proving that certain places in this “exclusion area” are, in fact, available for crop cultivation.

Nevertheless, however much we might like their good intentions, there’s always going to be a portion of the market that will remain unsure of the effects the beverage might have. Chernobyl is still a name that most of us would rather not say out loud. Unless, of course, we’re talking about the HBO series.

Images: Atomik and Unsplash

Reading traditional print books seems to be the form of entertainment that is dying off with the social media age. Nevertheless, enjoying a good book every day can actually provide many benefits on an intellectual, emotional and social level. By adding even just a few minutes of reading each day, you will reap some of these results!

Reading Increases Your Intelligence

a child reading while wearing adult work clothes.

A study published in 2014 found that people who learned strong reading skills from a young age were more likely to grow up to be intelligent as adults. The study investigated 1,890 sets of identical twins, and reading was the factor that appeared to most influence which twin would score better in verbal and reasoning tests. This concludes that children should be exposed to and taught how to read at a young age in order to reap the benefits for the rest of their adult life.

Reading Reduces Stress

a woman reading, relaxed holding a cup of coffee.

After a long day at work, you might be feeling very pressed and negative. A good way to unwind is by reading for half an hour. One study found this helped individuals reduce stress as well as completing 30 minutes of meditation or yoga.

Improve Your Sleep At Night

How many of us are guilty of scrolling through our phones and social media feeds right before bed? (Answer: almost all of us). That said, the light from our phone screens can keep our brains wired into the night, preventing us from being able to fall asleep. Picking up a physical book (not electronic) before bed allows us to both avoid the blue light and helps us relax into a better sleep.

Literary Fiction Enhances Your Empathy

students and friends all with books and smiling together.

Reading fiction literature has been shown to enhance readers’ ability to empathize with others. The thinking behind the results of a 2013 study was that fiction is written to make readers be able to step outside of their own world to relating to fictitious characters. These skills then transfer into the real world, where fiction readers can better understand how others are thinking and feeling.

Reading Strengthens Family Bonds

Although we typically think of reading as a solitary activity, it can also be a perfect bonding experience for parents with their children. Specifically, reading print books (not e-books) with children creates more meaningful conversations and connections among family members. It also has the advantage of encouraging children to read from a young age to gain a love for books to last a lifetime.

Photos: Freepik

“Atomik”: a new vodka born in Chernobyl