A radioactive wasp nest was found at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina, a facility where the US once produced nuclear weapons during the Cold War.
The discovery was made on July 3 near liquid nuclear waste tanks on the property. Radiation levels from the nest measured roughly 10 times higher than federal contamination limits. No wasps were present when it was removed.
The nest was immediately sprayed, bagged, and classified as radiological waste. Tests showed no contamination in nearby soil or structures. According to officials, the radiation came from legacy nuclear contamination rather than a recent leak.
Radioactive wasp nest found my construction workers
The Savannah River Site, located near Aiken, SC, was a major site for weapons-grade plutonium and tritium production in the mid-20th century. It has since been converted into a long-term nuclear cleanup and waste storage facility.
The Department of Energy said routine monitoring led to the discovery and confirmed that no workers were exposed to radiation. The tank farm where the nest was found is in a restricted area not accessible to the public.
The Savannah River Mission Completion now oversees the site, and they stated that the discovery was well inside the location, and wasps generally only fly a few hundred yards from their nests.
This is far from the first bee story to go viral so far in 2025. Back in June, Washington State authorities had to issue a warning after a semi-truck accident caused millions of bees to escape.
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