Fungus in Chernobyl disaster area has evolved to ‘consume’ radiation

At the Chernobyl disaster site, a type of black fungus has evolved to utilize nuclear radiation, which is typically deadly to most organisms, as its energy source.

On April 26, 1986, during the early morning, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Pripyat, Ukraine, was the scene of one of history’s most catastrophic nuclear accidents.

The meltdown of Reactor 4 at Chernobyl led to a series of explosions, intense fires, and a widespread release of radiation affecting the nearby regions.

While many died immediately following the Chernobyl incident, thousands more succumbed to radiation-related illnesses in subsequent years.

Although nearly four decades have passed since the disaster, the exclusion zone, extending 20 miles around the power plant, continues to be one of the world’s most heavily contaminated areas and won’t be safe for habitation for about 20,000 years due to persistent radiation.

Despite the hazardous levels of nuclear radiation, a black fungus discovered at the site has adapted to ‘feed’ on this radiation.

Cladosporium sphaerospermum, a robust species of black fungus, has been growing on the walls of Chernobyl’s Reactor 4 since the event occurred.

Researchers have discovered that the fungus has evolved to use nuclear radiation as its energy source, much like how plants derive energy from sunlight.

Its ability to consume radiation is attributed to melanin, the pigment responsible for human skin color, which also serves as a barrier against harmful UV radiation.

However, the fungus’s use of melanin “does more than shield: it facilitates energy production,” states Rutgers University evolutionary biologist Scott Travers. This mechanism, where melanin absorbs radiation and transforms it into chemical energy, is termed radiosynthesis.

Currently, scientists are investigating the potential to utilize this process to develop radiation shields that could safeguard astronauts on long-duration space missions.

The intense radioactive conditions encountered in space present a significant obstacle for extended missions, with astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) facing radiation levels in one week comparable to a year’s exposure on Earth.

The European Space Agency (ESA) indicates that an astronaut on a Mars mission might encounter radiation levels up to 700 times higher than those on Earth.

Onboard the ISS, researchers have examined the capacity of cladosporium sphaerospermum to diminish the impact of harmful radiation in conditions akin to those on Mars.

Their findings revealed that the fungus blocked and absorbed 84 percent of space radiation. Additionally, it exhibited notable growth over 26 days, implying that its radiosynthetic capabilities could extend to space environments.