Corium Memes

Nuclear meltdowns as a personality test! The meme shows corium (that molten radioactive nightmare fuel that forms during nuclear reactor meltdowns) personified as three-headed dragon. Chernobyl and Fukushima are portrayed as terrifying beasts, while Three-Mile Island is the derpy cousin who didn't quite commit to the whole "catastrophic disaster" thing. For the nuclear nerds: corium is what happens when reactor fuel, control rods, and structural materials melt together into a lava-like mass that can burn through concrete and steel. Chernobyl's version (nicknamed "Elephant's Foot") could kill you in minutes just by standing near it. Fukushima created its own hellish blend. Meanwhile, Three-Mile Island had a partial meltdown but contained most of its radioactive material—hence the goofy, relatively harmless face. Nothing says "we've mastered atomic energy" quite like creating substances that can melt through the Earth while giving you radiation poisoning through a concrete wall. Progress!

The infamous "Elephant's Foot" at Chernobyl isn't your average tourist attraction. This horrifying mass of corium (a radioactive lava-like material) formed when nuclear fuel melted through the reactor floor during the 1986 disaster. When first discovered, standing near it for just 5 minutes would deliver a fatal dose of radiation. The meme perfectly captures how other radioactive elements have "practical" applications, while corium is just... gestures vaguely ... a deadly blob that will kill you before you can even take a decent selfie with it. Nuclear science: where some elements power cities and others create nightmare fuel that glows for centuries!