Radioactive Wasps Found at Nuclear Site in South Carolina Could Be a ‘Red Flag,’ Expert Says

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Four radioactive wasp nests may indicate previously undetected environmental contamination at the decades-old Savannah River Site. Here’s what to know.

By Emily Anthes

Four radioactive wasp nests have been discovered at a South Carolina nuclear facility, according to federal officials.

The first nest, which was found by workers at the Savannah River Site early last month, was recently disclosed in a report from the Department of Energy, which owns the site. The facility, near Aiken, S.C., produced material for nuclear weapons throughout the Cold War.