The Chernobyl exclusion zone may be off-limits to humans, but ever since the Unit Four reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded nearly 40 years ago, other forms of life have not only moved in but survived, adapted, and appeared to thrive.

“That fungus is called Cladosporium sphaerospermum, and some scientists think its dark pigment – melanin – may allow it to harness ionizing radiation through a process similar to the way plants harness light for photosynthesis. This proposed mechanism is even referred to as radiosynthesis.”

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/39553283 https://libretechni.ca/post/483480

  • Goretantath@lemmy.worldEnglish
    15·
    4 hours ago

    Does this fungus “eat” the radiation, as in we can use it to clean up radioactive areas? Cause that’d be nice.

    • MonkderVierte@lemmy.zipEnglish
      1·
      1 hour ago

      You mean, digesting one of the dotzens of toxic Uran derivatives to thin air? I don’t think so.

    • Treczoks@lemmy.worldEnglish
      12·
      3 hours ago

      Sadly, no. Radioactive processes happen without any external control (at least not on this level, they don’t run a reactor or accelerator), and this fungus only harvests the energy.

    • Deconceptualist@leminal.spaceEnglish
      12·
      4 hours ago

      Well if it just evolved this ability that suggests it found a unique niche. But it probably hasn’t optimized this, since it doesn’t have any pressure to compete against other organisms for the radiation source.

      But the good news is that we could selectively breed the fungus, or even generically engineer it (once the genes are isolated) to maximize the ability much faster.

      I don’t know how useful it would be for site cleanup but it might at least become good insulation (like the idea of space station shielding mentioned in the article).

    • Destide@feddit.ukEnglish
      1·
      3 hours ago

      Like everything nuclear, it’s a double edge sword. Clearing up nuclear power would be amazing. People knowing they can Nuke something and eradicate the after effects quickly