Tag: Industry

Near-Miss at Leningrad: The Unknown Predecessor to Chernobyl | April 26 2026, 17:32

On the anniversary of Chernobyl. Those interested in this topic may not know that a similar accident could have occurred ten years earlier on the main (very first RBMK-1000 unit) Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant.

There was a nearly identical situation: one turbine in operation, reactor shutdown by emergency protection, and subsequent power escalation.

Back then, the situation was saved by the Chief Reactor Operator Mikhail

Karrask, who, acting intuitively and relying on his experience with industrial reactors, introduced into the reactor in portions

12 manual control rods

BEFORE pressing the emergency shutdown button.

A couple of years ago, Karrask passed away. This story is almost unknown outside the industry. For proof, google his obituary on Rosatom.

The technical part. The main danger of the RBMK reactors at that time was in the design of the control rods. At the bottom, they were equipped with graphite “displacers”. When the emergency shutdown button was pressed, the rods began moving down, and in the first seconds, the graphite tips did not dampen the reactor, but on the contrary, displaced the water and increased the power in the lower part of the active zone. But precisely, the instructions in case of trouble suggested pressing the emergency shutdown button. If you followed the instructions, “Chernobyl” would have happened earlier.

After the incident at the Leningrad NPP, a commission was formed. Experts (including those from the Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy) pointed out the dangerous design flaws of the RBMK – the positive void coefficient of reactivity and incorrect design of the rods. Unfortunately, extensive changes to the design of all RBMK reactors were not made at that time. Only operational regulations recommendations were given, which, as history showed, were insufficient to prevent the tragedy in Chernobyl.

Decoding Leather Products: From Genuine to Synthetic | February 23 2026, 18:11

Today I learned how the hierarchy of leather products is actually structured. Everyone knows that faux leather is completely synthetic; it’s a layer of polymer on a fabric base. There is also cheap leather, often labeled as Genuine Leather, which technically remains an animal-derived product. It turns out to be the lower, looser layer of the hide, which on its own lacks strength or aesthetics, so it’s turned into a sort of sandwich, encased in a thick layer of plastic (polyurethane) with embossing. Essentially, cheap leather is split or compressed leather scraps (Bonded leather or bi-cast/tri-cast), glued together with plastic. It’s essentially akin to plywood or particle board.

How such leather is produced: 1) Leather scraps and waste are taken 2) they are shredded into small fibers 3) mixed with a binder – polyurethane or latex – resulting in a mass similar to pulp 4) this mixture is evenly distributed on a substrate, which typically serves as fabric or paper material 5) a roller or plate with a pattern mimicking natural leather is then pressed onto the surface of the mixture, creating a texture reminiscent of real leather. 6) After drying, a protective coating is applied to enhance the strength, wear resistance, and appearance of the material.

Expensive leather is called Aniline or Full Grain. Essentially, it is made from the top part of the hide (which is exposed to air on the animal). It is dyed with transparent dyes, and contains no plastic. Nubuck or suede is part of the hide which, excuse me, comes in contact with the flesh.

Many also judge the quality of leather by its smell, thinking that a distinctive aroma is the main sign of authenticity and high class. This is easily mistaken. The scent we associate with expensive leather is often the result of chemists’ work. Manufacturers of cheap bonded leather products use special fragrance sprays that mimic the smell of expensive tanning. Real high-quality leather, such as vegetable-tanned leather, smells more like wood, oak bark, or mimosa, because these substances are used in its processing.

Another professional secret concerns the edges of the product. If you see that the edge of a bag or belt is neatly filled with a thick layer of “rubber” or paint so that the structure of the layers is not visible, this is often not done for design’s sake. Such a technique helps to conceal that very plastic sandwich which makes up the material. Craftsmen working with truly high-quality Full Grain leather often leave the cuts open or just slightly polish them with wax, because they have nothing to hide — the fiber structure of such leather is equally dense throughout its thickness.

A Decade at EPAM: Thriving Through Change and Challenge | January 05 2026, 13:43

10 years at EPAM.

I would have never thought that I would enjoy working in the same place for an entire decade. What’s the secret? At EPAM, I am always evolving: projects change one after another, never letting me get bored.

I am currently on a project at a giant company: over 100 thousand employees and revenue of 30 billion dollars. Before this, it was the automotive industry — a behemoth with a staff of 175 thousand and a turnover of 150 billion. Somewhere around, there was a contract with a company of 80 thousand employees and 35 billion in revenue. True scale and genuinely serious challenges. And earlier, there were cosmetics brands, biotech, and the oil sector. In total, more than 20 projects of various calibers. Despite having over 100% workload every single day. And it seems that this year, I had more vacation than usual, yet still less than I could have taken. I traveled to Costa Rica, Mexico, Seattle, Antalya.

The point is, at each new place you learn something, sometimes from scratch. And that’s freaking awesome. It gives much more energy than if I had been “rooted” in any of these corporations for all 10 years. Perhaps, from a purely financial standpoint, people who stayed in one place at these companies earned more than me, but money isn’t the priority if it means sacrificing interest and enthusiasm. Living life at a job from which you are utterly exhausted is a questionable pleasure.

Last year at EPAM was maximally intense, and I sincerely hope that 2026 will not slow down.

Exploring the “Christmas Tree” in Oil & Gas | December 18 2025, 18:34

Oh, how many wonderful discoveries the spirit of enlightenment brings…

it turns out, Christmas tree in the oil & gas industry is a wellhead equipment. I am testing this search for work

Gold and Gadgets: Tracing Global Influence and Metal Monopolies | October 14 2025, 03:13

Rajesh Exports states on their website that they process 35% of the gold mined on the planet. Of course, they are exaggerating, but overall, India and Rajesh do shape the market. It turns out that 11% of all the gold on the planet is adorned on Indian women. Additionally, it was found that in 1947, 70% of all mined gold was in the USA. From 1934 to 1970, it was legally prohibited for private individuals to own gold in the USA. Approximately 22% of all the gold ever accounted for on the surface of the Earth has been mined from a plateau in South Africa called the Witwatersrand. And if you consider all the gold mined throughout history, it would amount to less than an Olympic swimming pool.

China buys up silver, with India not far behind. Interestingly, platinum is significantly used in the production of catalytic converters for vehicles – almost 40% of the global production goes there. China, of course, holds much of this production.

Practically every smartphone, tablet, or touchscreen monitor that we use is coated with a thin layer of indium tin oxide (ITO). This material has a unique combination of properties: it is almost completely transparent while also conducting electricity excellently. This allows the screen to register your touches.

Although lithium is now strongly associated with batteries, historically and still today, a significant portion of it is used in the production of glass and ceramics.