What Could Survive An Atomic Bomb?
I am nearing the end of a 6-week road trip filming for an Australian TV show called Catalyst (http://abc.net.au/catalyst). Along with co-presenters Anja and Simon, I have travelled from Perth...
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According to popular myth, cockroaches would inherit a post nuclear disaster world. Butit looks like the real winners might actually be fungi.In 1999 fungi were found to be thriving in highly radioactive conditions inside the Chernobylreactor. These fungi are rich in melanin, yup, the same stuff that gives you tan insummer. While radiation causes cell damage and mutationsin most living creatures, melanin rich fungi are actually attracted to the stuff. And itseems the spherical nature of the melanin acts as a shield, but it also allows energyto be absorbed from the radiation, enhancing the fungi’s growth. These fungi may oneday help clean up radioactive waste or even lead to the development of new cancer treatments.But if there is a nuclear accident in the meantime, ...
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According to popular myth, cockroaches would inherit a post nuclear disaster world. Butit looks like the real winners might actually be fungi.In 1999 fungi were found to be thriving in highly radioactive conditions inside the Chernobylreactor. These fungi are rich in melanin, yup, the same stuff that gives you tan insummer. While radiation causes cell damage and mutationsin most living creatures, melanin rich fungi are actually attracted to the stuff. And itseems the spherical nature of the melanin acts as a shield, but it also allows energyto be absorbed from the radiation, enhancing the fungi’s growth. These fungi may oneday help clean up radioactive waste or even lead to the development of new cancer treatments.But if there is a nuclear accident in the meantime, ...
