This is not science fiction - a black mushroom grows where nothing else survives: directly on the wall of reactor 4 in Chernobyl. The mold is called Cladosporium sphaerospermum and as early as 1997 it was noticed by the team of mycologist Neli Zhdanova. "It was surreal - everywhere concrete, waste, and on them - black minicontinents of mushrooms," she says of her first contact with the plant population in the zone of death.
Scientists quickly notice something strange: this fungus not only withstands the radiation, but also seeks it, grows BEST exactly where the rays are the most. "The fungus behaves like a plant seeking light." The dark color comes from melanin - a pigment that tries to absorb radiation instead of breaking down from it.
Research over the last 20 years shows: with more intense irradiation, Cladosporium grows faster. In the laboratory, radiopharmacologist Ekaterina Dadacheva tested on radioactive cesium. It turns out that the fungus with melanin grows 10% faster than normal, exposed to the same conditions.
Moreover - Dadacheva and her colleague Casadeval believe that melanin can convert radiation into chemical energy, similar to photosynthesis in plants, which uses sunlight. "Melanin captures the radiation and drives cellular reactions," says Casadeval. All this is called radiosynthesis - a new word for biologists.
Although there is still no definitive answer as to whether the fungus really uses radiation as an energy source, its behavior is mysterious. Scientist Niels Averes says simply: "Radiosynthesis must be fully proven, and for now we only see strange biochemical changes in melanin."
What does all this mean for people? Maybe a new protection. That is why in 2018 a sample of Cladosporium went to the International Space Station. The astronauts monitor how the plant behaves - and it grows, and it is 21% faster than the control samples! A very thin layer of mushrooms blocks 2% of the dangerous cosmic radiation - a little, but indicative.
The idea is clear: if the mushrooms can be used as a living, self-healing radiation shield, they will be valuable in future missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond. Astrobiologist Lynn Rothschild from NASA already imagines self-repairing houses made of mushroom material and walls that repair their cracks themselves and absorb harmful radiation.
You may also like
Five Cannabis Plants Found in Criminal's Home in Pomorie
Poisoned Vultures: A Loss for Nature and a Recurrence in the Ticha Area
Cracked Dam on the Struma River near Batanovtsi: Recurring Problem, Lack of Funds and Expectation of a Response
Man from Aytos detained with 4 grams of methamphetamine in Burgas
Why does it work? There is still no exact mechanism, but scientists think that the battle with radiation is recorded in the cellular code of Cladosporium. Perhaps its resistance will help for new technologies, new treatments, or at least will give more answers how life survives when the environment seems impossible to survive.
Коментари (94)
superman
02.12.2025, 11:58Ебасиму!! 😏
Гражданин_Х
02.12.2025, 12:00Абе, то верно ли?
zlata_koti
02.12.2025, 12:00аби,лударабота
BG_TIGAR
02.12.2025, 12:01Абе, май нема край тая работа
petrov
02.12.2025, 12:02Абе, сеир бе
petkan
02.12.2025, 12:02Абе, к'во е тва?
си
02.12.2025, 12:02Абе, а си го измисли
май_нема_тая
02.12.2025, 12:03Абе, май нема граница тая гъба
0CCE
02.12.2025, 12:08Уау, яко
ludata
02.12.2025, 12:12Абе, гъбката ни е по-яка
bat_vasko
02.12.2025, 12:12Яко? Сериозно ли?!
23104
02.12.2025, 12:27Ебати гъбата
maga
02.12.2025, 12:29Аби тва май е новата ни реликва!!
as
02.12.2025, 12:30Абе т'ва е яко 😂
BABAGANKA
02.12.2025, 12:30Абе тва май е най-якия сюрприз
v. петров
02.12.2025, 12:32Абе, сериозно ли?
NQKOI
02.12.2025, 12:32абе, сериозно ли?!
Майстора
02.12.2025, 13:08абе моля те
B9474
02.12.2025, 13:10Абе как е възможно?
zlata_koti
02.12.2025, 13:08Абе, баси му
v. костов
02.12.2025, 13:10Ех, гъбка ама с яка инергия 😂
peshaka
02.12.2025, 13:11аби тва е qко наистина
shefa
02.12.2025, 13:21ебати гъбата
BABAGANKA
02.12.2025, 13:23Абе т'ва май е ако! 😁
P. Димитров
02.12.2025, 13:25Аби т'ва май ще е нновата ни стока
85F
02.12.2025, 13:26абе тва наистина е яко
admina
02.12.2025, 13:51Абе моля те
dimitar
02.12.2025, 13:53абе моля те 🙄
anoniemen
02.12.2025, 13:53Абе,грибалищениспаси?😂😅
s. Тодоров
02.12.2025, 13:56Ебати големтия прогрес
kombinator
02.12.2025, 14:42Абе моля те
хардкоргъбки_уау
02.12.2025, 15:39уау,хардкоргъбки
superman
02.12.2025, 15:41Абе, тва да не е нова мода? 😂🍄
ANONIEMEN
02.12.2025, 15:41Ебати гъбата! 💩
9F650
02.12.2025, 16:28Ебати гъбата
fanata
02.12.2025, 16:39Ебати гъбата
PESHOFROMSOFIA
02.12.2025, 17:32Ебаси му
е_😂_или
02.12.2025, 17:37Абе тва гъбка ли е или Супермен? 😂
nocomment
02.12.2025, 17:41Ебатигъбата
ninja
02.12.2025, 17:44Аби тва наистина ли? Луда работа! 🙄
BG_TIGAR
02.12.2025, 17:45Абе тва ква' е работа? 🤣🍄!
NoComment2015
02.12.2025, 17:49Ебати гъбата 💸
JIVKO
02.12.2025, 17:50абе моля те
k. Димитров
02.12.2025, 17:57Абе молq те
уау
02.12.2025, 18:01Уау, яко
vasil_p
02.12.2025, 18:05Абе тва грибче - супермен
Майстора1980
02.12.2025, 18:20Ебаси му майката 😡
BRATVASKO
02.12.2025, 18:24Абе моля те
realist
02.12.2025, 18:22ебасигъбата
doktora
02.12.2025, 18:38Уау, яко 😡
3914
02.12.2025, 18:43Абе, ква е таа гъба?
XD
02.12.2025, 18:42Ебати гъбата
p. миланов
02.12.2025, 19:21Уау
xd
02.12.2025, 19:23Абе баси, готино гъбче
gringo_772020
02.12.2025, 19:21Уау, ама наистина ли? Готино 🔥
KIROV89
02.12.2025, 19:24Абе тва вече стана яко
BG_Tigar
02.12.2025, 20:02Уау
479
02.12.2025, 20:04Баси,якое
doktora
02.12.2025, 20:12Бахти 💥
Kirov891984
02.12.2025, 20:13абе, к'во друго да кажа
pesho981978
02.12.2025, 20:13ебати гъбата
LUDATA
02.12.2025, 20:19уау, наистина ли? 🔥
KOMBINATOR
02.12.2025, 20:22Абе, гъбата е яка
babaganka
02.12.2025, 20:24ей, гъбата ни е суперзвезда
0C74
02.12.2025, 20:39Бах ма нема такъв филм 💩
asdasd
02.12.2025, 20:43Бах ма нема такъв филм
72733
02.12.2025, 21:10Уау,хардкоргъбка!!
ебати
02.12.2025, 21:59Ебати
ASDASD
02.12.2025, 22:19Бахманематакъвфилм
bg_tigar
02.12.2025, 22:22Абе, кво е тоз филм? 🤯 Сериозно ли?
ASD123
02.12.2025, 22:23Ебаси, гъбички ни спасават
zlata_koti
02.12.2025, 22:27Абе, па то такава работа
GRINGO_77
02.12.2025, 22:31Уау, яко
PROSTO_CHOVEK
02.12.2025, 22:57Бахманематакъвфилм
peshaka
02.12.2025, 23:02Ебаси
гъбички_ебаси
02.12.2025, 23:23Ебаси, ама гъбички
PETROV
02.12.2025, 23:27Абе мола те
моля
03.12.2025, 00:22Абе моля те
Shefa
03.12.2025, 00:42Бах ма нема такъв филм 😂
v. тодоров
03.12.2025, 01:39Абемоляте
niki_bg
03.12.2025, 02:02уау
гъбата
03.12.2025, 02:22ебати гъбата
4erveno_flag
03.12.2025, 02:30Ебати гъбата
ZLATA_KOTI
03.12.2025, 04:31Ебати
guest123
03.12.2025, 05:59Ебати гъбата
BRATVASKO
03.12.2025, 06:03ахахах, супер сила
SUPERMAN
03.12.2025, 06:02Ебати
PETKAN
03.12.2025, 06:08Баси, сякаш нищо не става
VIKI_QNA
03.12.2025, 07:48ебаси му
BG_Tigar2011
03.12.2025, 07:50Ебати гъбата
komentar_bg
03.12.2025, 08:18Абемолате!
ГОШО
03.12.2025, 08:19абе т'ва голам майтап
bat_vasko
03.12.2025, 09:53Уф, пак ли Черннобил?
наистина_ама_😏
03.12.2025, 11:01Баси, ама наистина ли? 😏