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"habitable" is not the same as survivable. Generally the term habitable means safe for society, so while you may quibble over what exact standard to use the dangers around Chernobyl are MAGNITUDES higher than the dangers of smoking. More like guaranteeing cancer in <20 years.

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Here's another data point: Even by your definition, Hiroshima and Nagasaki are habitable today, less than 100 years after having been hit by nuclear bombs. Ground zero in those cities are thriving tourist zones. Yes, radiation is dangerous, but the dangers of nuclear power have been VASTLY exaggerated by left-wing propaganda.

Nagasaki and Hiroshima were both air burst explosions for maximal blast, but didn't contaminate the ground as much as a ground explosion would.

Chernobyl was not a ground explosion either. (Well, OK, it was, but it wasn't a nuclear explosion, it was a steam explosion.)

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