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InvisibleJoeMama1992
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Registered: 12/27/11
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Fungi thriving in the Chernobyl reactor?! * 1
    #19199776 - 11/28/13 08:29 AM (10 years, 2 months ago)

Quote:

Major biological discovery…inside the Chernobyl reactor??



The abandoned town of Pripyat, the Chernobyl reactor in the background.



There has been an exciting new biological discovery inside the tomb of the Chernobyl reactor. Like out of some B-grade sci fi movie, a robot sent into the reactor discovered a thick coat of black slime growing on the walls. Since it is highly radioactive in there, scientists didn’t expect to find anything living, let alone thriving. The robot was instructed to obtain samples of the slime, which it did, and upon examination…the slime was even more amazing than was thought at first glance.

This slime, a collection of several fungi actually, was more than just surviving in a radioactive environment, it was actually using gamma radiation as a food source. Samples of these fungi grew significantly faster when exposed to gamma radiation at 500 times the normal background radiation level. The fungi appear to use melanin, a chemical found in human skin as well, in the same fashion as plants use chlorophyll. That is to say, the melanin molecule gets struck by a gamma ray and its chemistry is altered. This is an amazing discovery, no one had even suspected that something like this was possible.

Aside from its novelty value, this discovery leads to some interesting speculation and potential research. Humans have melanin molecules in their skin cells, does this mean that humans are getting some of their energy from radiation? This also implies there could be organisms living in space where ionizing radiation is plentiful. I’ve always been a big panspermia proponent, the idea that life did not originate on Earth but is actually common in the cosmos. Organisms that can live in space certainly gives more credence to this idea.

Possibly this could also be used to create plants or mushrooms that could grow in space, serving as a food source for space travellers. Maybe these fungi could be modified and used somehow to clean up radiation contaminated environments. There’s quite a few of those, in fact the disposal of radioactive waste is still a huge and unsolved problem. Now the fungi couldn’t actually eat the radioactive isotopes, I’m not saying that, but if they can live in radioactive environments they might be used to somehow scour out or concentrate the radioactive isotopes in such a way as to facilitate their clean up.

Imagine, there’s fallout from a nuclear accident and what do the guys in suits do? They show up, spray mushroom spores over everything, and a few weeks later the mushrooms are harvested and disposed of while the contaminated area is now radiation free. It would certainly be useful, the picture at the top shows the still abandoned town of Priyat, Ukraine. It was built to house the workers at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, and was evacuated within hours of the accident.

An excellent story about the Chernobyl disaster and Pripyat is at the Ghost Town link. Just be aware that, no, Elana didn’t actually ride her motorcycle through the radiation contaminated zone, that was poetic license on her part. (Motorcycle enthusiasts have motorcycled across Europe hoping to duplicate her tour, only to be told by the guards that that motorcycles are not allowed in the contaminated zone.) The pictures and descriptions are accurate though, some of the images are incredibly poignant. Just think, a whole town where the inhabitants fled without warning, leaving all of their possessions behind.

Fortunately the Chernobyl reactor was an old and unsafe design, only one other reactor in the world was built the same way. It was right here in Berkeley, a research reactor built on campus in the fifties. It was sagely decided to quietly shut it down after Chernobyl; while it couldn’t have had an accident on the scale of Chernobyl, the locals were a little concerned anyhow. In fact it was a block away from my favourite burrito place, yikes.

(The above image was released into the public domain by its author. Credit: Jason Minshull.)





https://unitedcats.wordpress.com/2007/05/29/major-biological-discoveryinside-the-chernobyl-reactor/


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OfflineBeanhead
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Re: Fungi thriving in the Chernobyl reactor?! [Re: JoeMama1992]
    #19199890 - 11/28/13 09:07 AM (10 years, 2 months ago)

Very old news, perhaps we need to introduce this fungi to fukushima :wink:.


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InvisibleJoeMama1992
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Registered: 12/27/11
Posts: 901
Re: Fungi thriving in the Chernobyl reactor?! [Re: Beanhead]
    #19199904 - 11/28/13 09:11 AM (10 years, 2 months ago)

:mad:
I couldn't find the date it was published, assumed it was news. :shrug:
Still pretty interesting, nonetheless. Should I ask for it to be moved?


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OfflineMrBlueYoMind
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Registered: 04/27/11
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Re: Fungi thriving in the Chernobyl reactor?! [Re: JoeMama1992]
    #19199954 - 11/28/13 09:28 AM (10 years, 2 months ago)

I assume based on the link (.com/2007/05/29/major...) that it was March 29, 2007. 

Its still a really good read, I think it should stay!


--------------------
Confucius say: He who sticks drugs in butthole has head up ass. 
EVOLUTION REQUIRES REPRODUCTION


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InvisibleChinChiller
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Re: Fungi thriving in the Chernobyl reactor?! [Re: MrBlueYoMind] * 1
    #19199964 - 11/28/13 09:32 AM (10 years, 2 months ago)

I wonder if the fungus has reduced the radiation at all since 2007?
Would be interesting if someone found a follow up (if one exists at all).

:havesomescience:


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OfflineRogerAdams
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Re: Fungi thriving in the Chernobyl reactor?! [Re: ChinChiller] * 1
    #19200235 - 11/28/13 10:53 AM (10 years, 2 months ago)

I read about this a long time ago. One of the fungi was a kind of black mold. As someone allergic to molds I was less than thrilled when I found that out! It still is pretty cool.

I believe the black mold is just absorbing the radiation as an energy source. It is not really bio-acumulating the radioactivity. What does bio-acumulate are some of the forest mushrooms that Paul Stamets has looked into, that pull in Cesium and other radioactive heavy metals into their mycelium network and mushrooms. Once accumulated these would be mushrooms you would NOT want to eat. Stamets suggested collecting the radioactive fungal material, running it through an incinerator and then casing and storing the ashes. This would be a way to collect radioactive contaminants that are spread out and that you couldn't really visually see anyways.


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OfflineDeemstar
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Re: Fungi thriving in the Chernobyl reactor?! [Re: RogerAdams] * 2
    #19200371 - 11/28/13 11:35 AM (10 years, 2 months ago)

I wonder if this means black people have a higher tolerance to gamma radiation?


--------------------
Gnome-miii-odd
JAH!!! Pasta-far-eye!:bigblunt:
R.I.P. Georgie poor G
A.K.A. Jorgon Lucy


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Invisible4runner
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Re: Fungi thriving in the Chernobyl reactor?! [Re: Deemstar]
    #19200406 - 11/28/13 11:45 AM (10 years, 2 months ago)

Quote:

Deemstar said:
I wonder if this means black people have a higher tolerance to gamma radiation?




That is why there are more white superheroes/mutants.


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OfflineEllis Dee
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Re: Fungi thriving in the Chernobyl reactor?! [Re: JoeMama1992]
    #19200440 - 11/28/13 11:56 AM (10 years, 2 months ago)

Thanks Joe Mama for posting this. I find it fascinating to think of melanin as chlorophyll. Perhaps that's why humans and other species find sun bathing and sun worshiping so pleasurable. It could be just what we need to thrive to our full potential and not just for vitamin D. This is fascinating stuff!!!

:sun:


--------------------
"If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do."-King Solomon

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,


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Offlineforrest
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Re: Fungi thriving in the Chernobyl reactor?! [Re: Ellis Dee]
    #19200915 - 11/28/13 01:38 PM (10 years, 2 months ago)

we find sunbathing nice because it stimulates the production of oxytocin, wich is also produced more in the body when the water from the shower hits our body, or when people touch each other when making love. i read that's why kids in puberty stand longer under the shower, because they have a larger need for the hormone.


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My Trade List


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Offlinek00laid
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Re: Fungi thriving in the Chernobyl reactor?! [Re: ChinChiller]
    #19201173 - 11/28/13 03:03 PM (10 years, 2 months ago)

Quote:

Errolscool said:
I wonder if the fungus has reduced the radiation at all since 2007?
Would be interesting if someone found a follow up (if one exists at all).

:havesomescience:




--------------------
AMU - AMU Q & A - MyVideo Teks!


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InvisibleJoker Flash
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Registered: 04/11/13
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Re: Fungi thriving in the Chernobyl reactor?! [Re: JoeMama1992]
    #19201227 - 11/28/13 03:16 PM (10 years, 2 months ago)

That's awesome! It'd be a killer time to vacation at Chernobyl but I'd be worried about cancer for the rest of my life :tongue: It would probably also make for the #1 creepiest tripping spot. Imagine stumbling onto one of those eerie dolls left behind that's iconic of Chernobyl


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OfflineKingKnowledge
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Re: Fungi thriving in the Chernobyl reactor?! [Re: Joker Flash]
    #19202123 - 11/28/13 06:58 PM (10 years, 2 months ago)

Quite interesting. Thanks for the read, albeit a few years delayed :aweohyou:


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Offlinech1ck3n.s0up
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Re: Fungi thriving in the Chernobyl reactor?! [Re: Beanhead]
    #19202391 - 11/28/13 08:01 PM (10 years, 2 months ago)

Quote:

Beanhead said:
Very old news, perhaps we need to introduce this fungi to fukushima :wink:.



:whathesaid:


--------------------

"Inspiration ~ Move me brightly ~ light the song with sense and color ~ hold away despair ~ more than this I will not ask ~ faced with mysteries dark and vast ~ statements just seem vain at last" --Jerry Garcia, Terrapin Station

"Officer, I'm going to remain silent, and I would like to speak with a lawyer. I'm not resisting, but I don't consent to any searches.


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OfflineDirtyTomFlint
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Re: Fungi thriving in the Chernobyl reactor?! [Re: ch1ck3n.s0up]
    #19202412 - 11/28/13 08:05 PM (10 years, 2 months ago)

I never knew about this. Good read.


--------------------




Know Your Body, Know Your Mind, Know Your Substance, Know Your Source


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InvisibleLe_Canard
The Duk Abides


Registered: 05/16/03
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Re: Fungi thriving in the Chernobyl reactor?! [Re: JoeMama1992]
    #19202518 - 11/28/13 08:39 PM (10 years, 2 months ago)

And did you know that birds are nesting in the cooling towers of the main reactor now too? Nature is well on the way to taking over there.


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Offlinedokunai
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Re: Fungi thriving in the Chernobyl reactor?! [Re: ChinChiller]
    #19202568 - 11/28/13 08:52 PM (10 years, 2 months ago)

Quote:

Errolscool said:
I wonder if the fungus has reduced the radiation at all since 2007?
Would be interesting if someone found a follow up (if one exists at all).

:havesomescience:




The radioactive isotopes will continue to decay (i.e., emit radiation) at exactly the same rate they otherwise would have regardless of the presence of the fungus.  The amount of radiation is certainly lower now than when this article was published a few years ago, but that's only because of the way radiation works and has nothing to do with the fungus being there.  Gamma rays can go through lead, granite, etc. so a thin layer of slime on the wall isn't going to do much to stop them.


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OfflineKingKnowledge
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Re: Fungi thriving in the Chernobyl reactor?! [Re: Le_Canard]
    #19202743 - 11/28/13 09:47 PM (10 years, 2 months ago)

Quote:

ToiletDuk said:
And did you know that birds are nesting in the cooling towers of the main reactor now too? Nature is well on the way to taking over there.




Are they living?


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InvisibleLe_Canard
The Duk Abides


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Re: Fungi thriving in the Chernobyl reactor?! [Re: KingKnowledge]
    #19202773 - 11/28/13 09:54 PM (10 years, 2 months ago)

Absolutely. Look it up for yourself. There's all kinds of articles about it out there.


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OfflineKingKnowledge
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Re: Fungi thriving in the Chernobyl reactor?! [Re: Le_Canard]
    #19202779 - 11/28/13 09:56 PM (10 years, 2 months ago)

Quote:

ToiletDuk said:
Absolutely. Look it up for yourself. There's all kinds of articles about it out there.




http://video.pbs.org/video/2157025070/


LOL this video is called "Radioactive Wolves"


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