Never-before-seen footage of Chernobyl’s infamous “Elephant’s Foot” reveals one of the most dangerous remnants of the 1986 nuclear disaster. Buried beneath Reactor No. 4, this molten mass of nuclear fuel and reactor materials hardened into a twisted, lava-like formation so radioactive that early exposure meant near-instant death. Its cracked, wrinkled surface gave it its eerie nickname—and this rare glimpse offers a haunting look at the lasting scars of one of history’s worst nuclear accidents.

In this eerie and beautiful footage, venture into Chernobyl's exclusion zone decades after the nuclear disaster. http://on.natgeo.com/2fgjLzh #ShortFilmShowcase | National Geographic History