Few environmental tragedies have been as deeply ingrained in popular culture as the Chernobyl disaster. In 1986, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant suffered an explosion of unprecedented proportions, earning the grim distinction of being the worst nuclear accident in history. Today, its effects still elude calculation and are the subject of heated debates: while several people died as a direct result of the explosion, tens (or hundreds, the jury’s still out on that one) of thousands were exposed to radiation, which spread across much of Europe and profoundly affected the area’s ecosystem and the health of its population, flora, and fauna.
Almost forty years later, radioactive contamination still weighs on a territory off-limits to humans… but not to plants, animals, and other living beings that have survived, and continue to thrive despite such a hostile environment.
Every so often, headlines surface about the current state of Chernobyl’s wild flora and fauna beyond human intervention: surprisingly undramatic mutations, radiation-resistant worms, blue dogs (spoiler alert: they were just dirty)… and fungi that feed on radiation.
That’s right: in Chernobyl, there is a fungus with the ability not only to survive in a highly radioactive environment, but to feed on it.
What Do We Know About the Chernobyl Fungus that Eats Radiation and Could Help Astronauts
This fungus, scientifically named Cladosporium sphaerospermum, was found on the walls of the destroyed nuclear plant, where radiation still reaches off-the-charts levels (not to mention lethal for the vast majority of living organisms). This sparked the curiosity of the scientific community, which promptly began studying this phenomenon.
Thus, several studies have postulated that this fungus uses its melanin (yes, that’s the same compound responsible for our skin color) to absorb radiation and convert it into energy; a mechanism named radiosynthesis or radiotrophy, similar to that used by plants to convert sunlight into energy through their chlorophyll. However, exactly how this process works has not yet been confirmed, and it remains hypothetical until further research is conducted.
But the studies were not limited to understanding the fungus’s survival mechanism; they also delved into its potential practical uses. For now, the most exciting (and the one receiving the most publicity) is the use of this fungus to protect astronauts on space missions. How so?
It turns out that radiation is one of the biggest obstacles science faces when it comes to putting human bodies into outer space. Space radiation is an extremely complex phenomenon, and a solution to protect astronauts on long-duration missions has yet to be found.
In 2022, a study reported that a group of scientists successfully grew this fungus found in Chernobyl on the International Space Station. The fungus not only grew rapidly, but a reduction in radiation was also observed. This property could, in theory, be used to create some kind of shield or protection for humans venturing on missions to Mars or the Moon, representing a promising and unprecedented biotechnological advancement.
It’s worth noting that this isn’t the only space technology advancement featuring fungi: NASA researchers are already considering using mycelium as a building material for extraterrestrial habitats.
While the use of this particular fungus in space has not yet been fully verified, it could open other interesting doors, such as the management of radioactive waste on this side of the atmosphere.
Photo by IAEA Imagebank, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons // Edited on Canva.
