214
Chernobyl Fungus Seems to Have Evolved an Incredible Ability (www.sciencealert.com)
submitted 6 months ago* by [M] to c/science@lemmy.world
29 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

how the aliens survive spaceflight

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 126 points 6 months ago (7 children)

That fungus is called Cladosporium sphaerospermum, and some scientists think its dark pigment – melanin – may allow it to harness ionizing radiation through a process similar to the way plants harness light for photosynthesis. This proposed mechanism is even referred to as radiosynthesis.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 7 child comments
    •
  • [–] 39 points 6 months ago (4 children)

    wait, are black people more radiation-resistant?

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
    •
  • [–] 3 points 6 months ago

    There's a plot point about this in the Expanse. The series only mentions it shortly in that season where they had to cut half the stuff (though maybe not that).

    Cool that we can achieve radiosynthesis without sci-fi magic. A pity Chernobyl had to happen for this discovery.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent