> Radiotrophic fungi were discovered in 1991 growing inside and around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.[1]<p>The original study is open access and is worth reading. Here's an interesting little review:<p>> The literature already contains some indirect evidence for the notion that radiation can enhance the growth of melanized microorganisms. For example, the melanotic fungus C. cladosporioides manifests radiotropism by growing in the direction of radioactive particles and this organism has become widely distributed in the areas surrounding Chernobyl since the nuclear accident in 1986 [7]. Both in the laboratory and in the field several other species of melanized fungi grew towards soil particles contaminated with different radionuclides, gradually engulfing and destroying those particles [35], [36]. In addition, there are recent reports that certain life forms can utilize non-conventional forms of energy - microbes in geothermal vents at the bottom of the ocean can harvest thermal radiation as an energy source [37] while some microorganisms living in mines exploit energy from radiolysis of water [38]. On the basis of these precedents and the results of this study we cautiously suggest that the ability of melanin to capture electromagnetic radiation combined with its remarkable oxidation-reduction properties may confer upon melanotic organisms the ability to harness radiation for metabolic energy. The enhanced growth of melanotic fungi in conditions of radiation fluxes suggests the need for additional investigation to ascertain the mechanism for this effect.<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1866175/" rel="nofollow">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1866175/</a><p>In particular the part about growing towards contaminated particles, "engulfing and destroying" them, seems like a finding with enormous practical potential.
If you're interested in funghi, I recommend Joe Rogans podcast with Paul Stamets, funghi seem to be able to do many things: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPqWstVnRjQ" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPqWstVnRjQ</a>
How fast do these fungi grow?<p>Might they be a future food source? Radioactive materials could be coated in an inert material and made into pellets which would be easy to filter from the final resulting food.
I wonder if there's any possibility of genetically engineering the fungi and using them to extract more energy from contaminated areas and nuclear waste as a form of biofuel. That would be quite an interesting way to use nuclear waste.
On a related note, I wanted to mention "mycoremediation", a "fungi-based technology to decontaminate the environment" [0].<p>In particular, I learned in the wake of the Fukushima incident that the mycologist Paul Stamets suggests an unusual plan to remove radioactive and other pollutants from soil/land. [1]<p>[0] <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoremediation" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoremediation</a><p>[1] <a href="https://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/using-fungi-remediate-radiation-fukushima" rel="nofollow">https://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/using-fungi-remediat...</a>
Given the fact there's hardly any such radiation in the wild, does that mean they evolved that ability just within a few decades? If so, that would be quite astonishing as it seems pretty different from other biochemical mechanisms (e.g. photosynthesis).
I'm surprised no one here has mentioned the post-apocalyptic platformer, Mushroom 11. Radiotrophic fungus lends a lot of credence to a game where you guide a mycelial glob through the remains of a nuked landscape.