When the Chernobyl nuclear reactor suffered a meltdown, the prophetic community went into overdrive when they learned that the English word for Chernobyl is Wormwood. In Revelation, John talks about water becoming contaminated by a star named wormwood–a compelling similarity to a nuclear warhead falling back to earth.

“And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers,and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many mendied of the waters, because they were made bitter” (Rev 8:10-11).