The unimaginable consequences of nuclear fallout

For many of us, there's just no way to call to mind the devastation of nuclear fallout. How does the mind comprehend whole cities abandoned, or generations of lives affected by radiation?

For the residents of Chernobyl, which commemorates the 26th anniversary of the 1986 accidental meltdown at its nuclear power plant this April, those images are all too real.

And now, Gerd Ludwig, a photographer who has repeatedly gone back to the area over the decades to document the dramatic consequences, shares that reality with us.

Over at The Boston Globe, Ludwig shares some of his images. Consider taking a look. As we continue to consider our own energy needs, we do well to remember what happens when our pursuit of nuclear goes wrong.

Fair warning: Some of the images are graphic, and include nudity.