"Some 45, 000 square kilometers in Western Europe have measurable levels of radioactivity in the soil from Chernobyl above the criterion applied in the former Soviet Union to designate 'contaminated' areas, " said UNSCEAR Secretary Malcolm Crick.

CNN: 26 years on: helping Chernobyl's children

Other former coffee-plantation land, high in the mountains where the soil is rich in volcanic minerals, remains overgrown with weeds and contains barren trees.

WSJ: Coffee Growers Forge a Futures Recovery

"First win and first game on UK soil, so it was a good run-out for both sides, " said the former Scotland forwards coach who took over at Sale in April.

BBC: Sean Lineen warns Glasgow absentees after loss to Sale

Walking into the former Apollo testing facility, you'll almost certainly catch glimpses of martian rovers, soil samples and an assortment of scientific testing devices.

ENGADGET

The former soldiers were shown how to plant endemic bamboo, which is an excellent anchor for soil and so fast-growing that it can colonize a hillside within months.

UNESCO: Ecological Sciences for Sustainable Development

On 30 July 1966, Moore's dreams came true as England won the World Cup on home soil, defeating great rivals Germany in the final at Wembley -- outside of which a statue of their former captain proudly stands today.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

However, the huge swathes of abandoned former forest land alongside previous road schemes show that, in fact, much of the region lacks suitable soil and climate for agriculture.

ECONOMIST: The economy booms, the trees vanish | The