Eating gamma radiation for breakfast
www.rsb.org.uk
Tom Ireland explores the exciting possibilities of fungi that appear to use deadly radiation for energy and growth

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/15007841

Eating gamma radiation for breakfast

Some fungal species appear to be able to use strong radiation as an energy source for growth. Tom Ireland explores the exciting potential of these understudied organisms

  • absGeekNZ@lemmy.nzEnglish
    5·
    2 months ago

    That is really interesting.

    So we have fungi growing on the outside of the ISS, and we have fungi growing were there is very little available moisture.

    So hard vacuum and almost no moisture doesn’t kill off fungi. It can evolve to take advantage of extremely high energy radiation.

    I wonder if fungi could grow on asteroids?

    • sunyataEnglish
      4·
      2 months ago

      According to Deshevaya et al., 2024 numbers reduced and survival is due to lyophilization.

      So they were not growing, but preserved.

      Still cool though.

  • LesserAbe@lemmy.world
    3·
    2 months ago

    Interesting tidbit I didn’t know is that they’ve found fungi growing on the outside of the ISS

    • greedytacothief@lemmy.world
      2·
      2 months ago

      Reminds you just how careful we need to be when exploring celestial bodies. We could inadvertently introduce something completely destabilizing on accident. Humans not required, just our shiny metal shit.