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Chernobyl Fungus Appears to Have Evolved an Incredible Ability

https://lemmy.world/post/39555061

Chernobyl Fungus Appears to Have Evolved an Incredible Ability - Lemmy.World

“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.” cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/39553283 [https://lemmy.world/post/39553283] https://libretechni.ca/post/483480 [https://libretechni.ca/post/483480]

Dec 1 at 2:53amWeb
Show threadzabadohDec 1

You want Hulk fungi?

Because this is how you get Hulk fungi.

It’s even approximately that shade of green.

Show threadMyTurtleSwimsUpsideDownDec 1
It’s not the fungi we asked for, but it’s the fungi we deserve.
Show threadieatpwnsDec 1
The thumbnail looks like a sphincter
Show threadzabadohDec 2
!dontputyourdickinthat
Show threadAkasazhDec 2
Radiation turns you black, instead of green, who knew…
Show threadWindex007Dec 1
Life… uhhh…
Show threadexplodicleDec 1
I for one welcome our melanin-pigmented overlords.
Show threadanomnomDec 1
Can’t go worse than the spray tanned ones.
Show threadDandomRudeDec 1
The evidence that the fungi overlords will soon take over continues to mount…that’s why I don’t eat mushrooms…better safe than sorry…
Show threadGoretantathDec 1
Does this fungus “eat” the radiation, as in we can use it to clean up radioactive areas? Cause that’d be nice.
Show threadDeconceptualistDec 1

Well if it just evolved this ability that suggests it found a unique niche. But it probably hasn’t optimized this, since it doesn’t have any pressure to compete against other organisms for the radiation source.

But the good news is that we could selectively breed the fungus, or even generically engineer it (once the genes are isolated) to maximize the ability much faster.

I don’t know how useful it would be for site cleanup but it might at least become good insulation (like the idea of space station shielding mentioned in the article).

Show threadAA5BDec 1
We could breed it to incorporate radioactive particles to make it independently self-sustaining
Show threadCethinDec 1
One potentially useful thing that they could be used for is finding radioactive contamination. Presumably it grows best at higher radiation, so instead searching with ginger Geiger counters for radioactive contaminants you could spread this stuff out over the environment, then just look for where it is growing a while later. Engineer it to be bright orange or something.
Show threadXerxosDec 1
One ginger, two ginger… Lot of redheads around today
Show threadTreczoksDec 1
Sadly, no. Radioactive processes happen without any external control (at least not on this level, they don’t run a reactor or accelerator), and this fungus only harvests the energy.
Show threadjj4211Dec 1

Akin to how plants photosynthesize without doing anything to the sun.

At least there it does provide shade, though I doubt the fungus would provide a whole lot of shielding…

Show threadDestideDec 1
Like everything nuclear, it’s a double edge sword. Clearing up nuclear power would be amazing. People knowing they can Nuke something and eradicate the after effects quickly
Show threadMonkderVierteDec 1
You mean, one of the dotzens of toxic Uran derivatives? I don’t think so.
Show threada4ng3lDec 1
It eats the radiation, not its source though. The emitter would have to be removed. Maybe it could be used in shielding ? Like in space where background radiation seems to be a problem.
Show thread_stranger_Dec 1
It needs carbon to grow, so it would be a CO2 scrubber AND a source of food assuming it’s edible. 🤔🤔🤔
Show threada4ng3lDec 1
I would not be eating something with a radioactive-based diet in space… that’s like 2 steps away from opening the gates of hell of something like that xD
Show thread_stranger_Dec 1
bonus: you won’t need eyes?
Show threada4ng3lDec 1
Damn that was a rough one
Show threadInFerNoDec 1
BFG Division intensifies
Show threadthebestaquamanDec 2
Fantastic thing though: It doesn’t “eat” radiation in the sense that it becomes radioactive itself. It just absorbs the energy from the radiation, like plants absorb sunlight, to power a synthesis that lets it convert CO2 to organic material.
Show threadrageagainstmachinesDec 1
I should call her.
Show threadidiomaddictDec 1
You should call her a doctor
Show threadaltphotoDec 1
Extract the gene and inject it into a roach. Then encode human DNA into roach eggs and fly those roaches to Mars. After a few generations we would have a fully grown man roach able to feed off the radiation. That’s as far as I’ve gotten that idea. Oh man, tomorrow is another fuckin Monday. But we’re just 5 more weeks from 2026 can’t wait to 2029 when we’ll have a new president. Thanks electoral college! Without you we wouldn’t be able to choose the most retarded possible person for the job. I hope you guys eat some psychedelics this time around. Sure we could also choose whatever the public picks. Wait, what was the question?
Show threadMonkderVierteDec 1
What wad it again. A bacteria in a pocket in some Uran mine, that directly uses radiation as energy source? Might be yet another mechanism.
Show threadSlartyBartFastDec 1
I can’t wait until we can lab-grow lignin, I’m talking 3D printed wood, mofuckas
Show threadquick_snailDec 1
Why would you want to take something that’s cheap and make something that’s wayy more expensive?
Show threadSlartyBartFastDec 1
Because it won’t be cheap when I escape into space
Show threadquick_snailDec 1
I hope you’re able to get mental health services
Show threadSlartyBartFastDec 1
what, in space? I don’t think that falls under the scope of “universal” health care
Show threadzecaDec 1
Well… it should!
Show threadHeliumfartDec 1
I love the idea of cracking methane brought in from Kuiper belt objects, and growing massive cubes of artificial wood with giant orbital solar arrays. In some future where this was possible, with a delivery system to the surface (maybe deorbiting into the ocean), we could theoretically curtail most deforestation on the planet.
Show threadSlartyBartFastDec 1
My thoughts exactly
Show threadHeliumfartDec 1
Too bad that humanity is obsessed with such stupd shit.i
Show threadtoynbeeDec 1
It’s cool that that letter migrated seven spaces over.
Show threadHeliumfartDec 2
They have a life of ther own. i
Show threadnjordomirDec 2
Returns are gonna be rough when Home Depot Orbital/Galactic drops a huge stack of bent 2x4s from orbit directly into your backyard. “Just take them back where you bought them.”
Show threadEvil_ShrubberyDec 1
Show threadThis is fine🔥🐶☕🔥Dec 1
I rate this 3.6
Show threadArgentRavenDec 1
3.6? We’ll it’s not great, but it’s not terrible.
Show threadZachariahDec 1
it’s out of 3
Show threadExhaleSmileDec 1
The meter only goes to 3.6!
Show threadMadrigalDec 1
And the high-range dosimeter from the safe burned out immediately. It must have been faulty!
Show threadveni_vedi_veniDec 1
Funniest/safest moment from that miniseries was when their officials have the West the propaganda numbers to build the robot. Fucking lol…
Show threadMadrigalDec 1
“West Germany, though, so you can imagine how that conversation went.”
Show threadBlack616AngelDec 1
I don’t know it for sure, but I understood that the Germans built a robot capable of withstanding the propaganda number not explicitly for the Russians. It just happens to withstand those, but not the real numbers…
Show threadAA5BDec 1
This looks like one of those bad conversions to imperial- instead of 3.28, your spaceship crashes into the surface
Show threadt_beriumDec 2
So this is how the 40K Orks came to be! Makes sense.
Show threadMeron35Dec 2
Everything reminds me of him