Nature & Environment

Fungus inside Chernobyl exclusion zone has evolved a new ability

By T.K. Randall
December 3, 2025 ·  5 comments

Image: Chernobyl New Safe Confinement Over Reactor 4
Credit: Tim Porter / CC BY-SA 4.0 (adapted) On April 26th, 1986, the catastrophic accident that befell the No. 4 reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in northern Ukraine would not only expose thousands of people to dangerous levels of radiation, but also leave the whole area uninhabitable for thousands of years.

The incident would go on to become ingrained in popular culture, not only as one of the worst disasters of the modern age but also as a symbol of the dangers of nuclear power.

But while the region's human inhabitants have long since left, other forms of life have not only survived the radiation but have even managed to thrive in it.

As an example of this, scientists have identified a curious type of fungus - Cladosporium sphaerospermum - that seems to have evolved the unique ability to feed off the radiation.Found on the inside walls of the reactor's extremely radioactive ruins, this hardy fungus seems to be able to use its dark pigment to process radiation in a way not dissimilar to how regular plants harness the sun's energy through photosynthesis.

This makes it particularly unique and a fascinating example of how some organisms can thrive in an environment that most other life forms would find lethal.

Exactly how and why this adaptation has occurred continues to remain a bit of a mystery.

While Radiosynthesis is one explanation, it has yet to be conclusively proven.

Source: Science Alert | Comments (5)

Tags: Chernobyl, Nuclear