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

  • Treczoks@lemmy.worldEnglish
    35·
    2 days 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.

    • jj4211@lemmy.worldEnglish
      271·
      1 day ago

      Akin to how plants photosynthesize without doing anything to the sun.

      At least there it does provide shade, though I doubt the fungus would provide a whole lot of shielding…

      • frongt@lemmy.zipEnglish
        10·
        1 day ago

        If it’s absorbing the energy, then it’s not passing through. That’s shielding.

        But like light shining through a plant’s leaves, it probably doesn’t absorb anywhere near all the energy, so probably not useful as actual shielding material.