26/07/2025
Blimey!
After the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, scientists discovered a unique group of black fungi—such as Cladosporium sphaerospermum and Cryptococcus neoformans—growing on the reactor walls.
Unlike typical fungi, these organisms didn’t just survive the high radiation; they appeared to thrive in it.
These so-called radiotrophic fungi contain high levels of melanin, the pigment also found in human skin.
Researchers observed that this melanin doesn’t merely protect the fungi from radiation—it actively absorbs ionizing radiation like gamma rays and potentially converts it into usable energy, a process similar to how plants perform photosynthesis but using radiation instead of sunlight.
This process is called radiosynthesis.
Experiments, including those conducted aboard the International Space Station in 2018–2019, confirmed that melanized fungi could reduce radiation exposure and even grow better in radioactive environments than in normal ones.
In one test, a 1.7 mm thick layer of fungus blocked over 2% of cosmic radiation. Scientists estimate that thicker layers could serve as biological radiation shields in space exploration, especially for missions to Mars.
The discovery of these fungi has sparked significant interest in using them for radiation cleanup (bioremediation), space travel protection, and further understanding how life can adapt to extreme conditions.
Their ability to turn a harmful energy source into nourishment is one of the most extraordinary survival adaptations seen in nature.
