Chernobyl’s black fungus could eat radiation and even help keep astronauts safe in space

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The black fungus Cladosporium sphaerospermum was living on walls even in zones of the Chernobyl reactor ruins with record-high levels of radiation, scientists discovered, according to an article in the New York Post. The discovery came after field studies first began in 1997 by microbiologist Nelli Zhdanova. Researchers observed that this black fungus not only tolerated radiation, but it actually seemed to head toward the most contaminated spots and thrive.

Key to the fungus's extraordinary resilience is its melanin-rich cell structure. Melanin-familiar to humans for giving skin and hair their darker tones-appears to act as both shield and energy transducer for the fungus. Rather than being destroyed by the gamma and ionizing radiation that obliterates most living cells, this fungus absorbs that energy. Early experiments by radiopharmacologist Ekaterina Dadachova found that the fungus grew up to 10 percent faster when exposed to radioactive cesium compared with non-irradiated controls. The team coined the term "radiosynthesis" for this proposed process-analogous to how plants use sunlight for photosynthesis, but here, energy comes from radiation.

Things took a turn for the interesting in 2018 when researchers launched samples of the fungus onto the ISS to see how it would survive in cosmic radiation and microgravity. During the approximately 30-day exposure, the fungus not only survived while orbiting but also showed a measurable radiation shielding effect from its biomass. Sensors positioned under fungal colonies measured a lower radiation level than in their control samples that were not treated with fungus, suggesting a genuine potential for radiation shielding or absorption.

Scientists point out that, although the results are encouraging, definitive proof of radiosynthesis-evidence of carbon fixation, for instance, driven by radiation-remains absent; the exact metabolic pathway remains unverified. Some scientists stress that the increased growth under radiation conditions can be due to adaptive stress responses and not necessarily due to an energy conversion process per se.

Even so, the range of possible applications is huge. If this fungus can be counted on to block radiation and maybe even convert it to useful energy, it could become a cornerstone for creative solutions, ranging from naturally cleaning up radiation-contaminated areas like Chernobyl to serving as a self-replicating biological shield for astronauts who voyage to deep space or colonize Mars.

In a world still wrestling with nuclear waste, while gearing up for expanding human presence beyond Earth, a black mold that was once considered only contamination might just prove to be an unlikely ally. And as this research goes on, perhaps Chernobyl's darkest corners may very well help light the path to space travel - and to a cleaner Earth.