Technology and Culture

ABSTRACT:

HBO's 2019 miniseries Chernobyl has catapulted the world's worst nuclear disaster back into public awareness with stunning cinematography and captivating dramaturgy. For historians of technology, however, its portrayal of Soviet reactor technology, as well as its baffling omission of the disaster mitigation's most successful feat—the construction of a gigantic concrete entombment—present challenges beyond simple claims to authenticity. Are historians doomed to "abandon even the hope of truth and content ourselves instead with stories?" This essay suggests that even inaccurate storytelling can generate genuine passion, and historians can utilize this passion to nurture curiosity and help our students to seek better answers.