Editor's note

The 40^th anniversary of Chernobyl raises a fundamental question once again: how do societies assess and cope with risk, and how long do narratives outlive the events that created them?

In the emotional aftermath of Chernobyl, assumptions emerged that continue to shape German energy and climate policy. Together with historian Anna Veronika Wendland, I revisit the best available evidence and show where perception, politics, and measured impact diverged — to our detriment.

This essay is an invitation to reassess long‑held assumptions — including about nuclear power — and to debate how risks and benefits should be weighed if we are serious about climate, decarbonisation, and humanity’s future.