A Black Fungus Is Thriving In Chernobyl By Feeding On Radiation--could It Help Humanity? [View all]
Radiation should be lethal, but this mysterious black fungus is not just surviving—it’s thriving. Could this unexpected discovery help clean up nuclear waste or even protect astronauts?
Melissa Ait Lounis
Published on February 25, 2025
Read : 2 min
A Black Fungus Is Thriving In Chernobyl By Feeding On Radiation—could It Help Humanity? | The Daily Galaxy --Great Discoveries Channel
In the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, a place where radiation levels remain dangerously high decades after the 1986 nuclear disaster, scientists have discovered an organism defying the odds.
A black fungus, known as Cladosporium sphaerospermum, has been found not just surviving but seemingly thriving in extreme radiation. Even more astonishing, this microorganism appears to “feed” on radiation, much like plants use sunlight in photosynthesis.
The Science Behind A Fungus That “eats” Radiation
When researchers first observed blackened patches of fungi growing on the walls of Chernobyl’s ruined reactor, they suspected something unusual was at play. These fungi weren’t just tolerating radiation—they seemed to be actively absorbing it.
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https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/02/black-fungus-thriving-chernobyl-feeding-radiation/
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