Via Der Spiegel, I learned a fun Earth-Day's-Eve fact: At Chernobyl's infamous defunct nuclear power plant, you can take a tour that includes a Geiger counter and lunch in the plant cafeteria. This spectacle attracts a particular kind of tourist:

For her visit to the danger zone, Margarita from Italy has chosen to wear leopard-print linen shoes and pink lipstick. Her eyebrows are dyed lime green, her dark hair blond. "I lead a dangerous life," says Margarita, who is in her mid-twenties, in a breathy voice. "All the dye in my hair is also harmful to my health."

And in the wake of the Fukushima disaster, more and more edgy tourists like Margarita are flocking to Chernobyl: According to Der Spiegel, tours have been sold out since Japan's nuclear problems began.

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Kiera Butler

Senior Editor

Kiera Butler is a senior editor at Mother Jones. For more of her stories, click here. RSS | Twitter