Fungus inside Chernobyl eats radiation.

profbuxton

Joined Feb 21, 2014
421
Have seen this in a number of places. The fungus is NOT EATING the radiation , it is using it as an energy source. The radiation will only reduce at it appropriate half life for the materials involved. Will be interesting to see what sort of biological changes occur in the fungus due to being irradiated. Beware the Blob!
 

SamR

Joined Mar 19, 2019
5,031
Godzilla came from the radiation of the Atomic bombs tested on the Bikini Atoll but we have yet to meet the creature from Chernobyl or Fukushima. SciFi fans eagerly await!
 

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,079
There is no such thing as "eating radiation". Radioactivity does not involve chemical reactions and nuclear decay must runs its course.
Sure, the source of the radiation must run its course but compounds like Chlorophyll and Melanin are radiation absorbers (eaters) that transform EM energy into usable energy (converts the energy from the radiation into chemical energy) for growth.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17520016?dopt=AbstractPlus
METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:
Ionizing irradiation changed the electron spin resonance (ESR) signal of melanin, consistent with changes in electronic structure. Irradiated melanin manifested a 4-fold increase in its capacity to reduce NADH relative to non-irradiated melanin. HPLC analysis of melanin from fungi grown on different substrates revealed chemical complexity, dependence of melanin composition on the growth substrate and possible influence of melanin composition on its interaction with ionizing radiation. XTT/MTT assays showed increased metabolic activity of melanized C. neoformans cells relative to non-melanized cells, and exposure to ionizing radiation enhanced the electron-transfer properties of melanin in melanized cells. Melanized Wangiella dermatitidis and Cryptococcus neoformans cells exposed to ionizing radiation approximately 500 times higher than background grew significantly faster as indicated by higher CFUs, more dry weight biomass and 3-fold greater incorporation of (14)C-acetate than non-irradiated melanized cells or irradiated albino mutants. In addition, radiation enhanced the growth of melanized Cladosporium sphaerospermum cells under limited nutrients conditions.
 
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MrAl

Joined Jun 17, 2014
11,389
Hi,

"Eating" may be the wrong word that's all. Or at least is may "eat" the radiation but it doesnt eat the actual material that produced the radiation.
So while that is not the ideal dream of all mankind, it is still useful in reducing the radiation levels sort of like a Faraday Cage for neuclear radiation. At least it does something, something helpful that nothing else yet has been able to do regarding this kind of radiation. To quote a line from the 1998 Godzilla, "It's the first of its kind".
 

MrAl

Joined Jun 17, 2014
11,389
Godzilla came from the radiation of the Atomic bombs tested on the Bikini Atoll but we have yet to meet the creature from Chernobyl or Fukushima. SciFi fans eagerly await!
Hi,

Ok i know who Cher is, but who the heck is Shima?
(har har har)
:)
 
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