9 ms·

Radiotrophic fungus

262 points by zerogvt 7y ago

ThouYS 7y ago
If you're interested in funghi, I recommend Joe Rogans podcast with Paul Stamets, funghi seem to be able to do many things: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPqWstVnRjQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPqWstVnRjQ
- _carl_jung 7y ago
  I listened to this while preparing for and sitting in a trans-atlantic flight and I loved the whole thing. Paul Stamets verges on cuckoo and it only seems to add to his charm!
- VvdHout 7y ago
  Incredible podcast. Super interesting to see somebody so completely soaked into a single topic.
- Robin_Message 7y ago
  Ammusingly, Paul Stamets is the name of a scientist in the newest star trek series. He is an astro-mycologist and apparently they named him for this real scientist.
  - eadan 7y ago
    Paul Stamets is a fascinating person. You're right, the Star Trek character is named after him [0]. I remember hearing, perhaps in the Joe Rogan podcast, that he consulted for the show. He has a brilliant TED talk on the world-changing potential of fungi research [1]. [0] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/paul-stamets-star-trek-mushroom-expert-mycology-1.4454204 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/paul-stamets... [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI5frPV58tY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI5frPV58tY
  - mirceal 7y ago
    the character is named after him.
    - resoluteteeth 7y ago
      The comment you are responding to says that.
      - cestith 7y ago
        So long as we're correcting people, no. The comment in question says "apparently" the character was named after him. Someone replied that was in fact the case. Then you came along and shamed the person for confirming it.
        mirceal 7y ago
        for what is worth the parent comment I responded to was: "Ammusingly, Paul Stamets is the name of a scientist in the newest star trek series." The clarification was added afterwards, but who cares. if people want to downvote me, go ahead :)
  - chubot 7y ago
    He's also a primary "character" in Michael Pollan's book "How To Change Your Mind", on psychadelic mushrooms and LSD (which I'm about halfway through). Pollan has a pretty funny relationship with him -- almost like "frenemies".
- adamnemecek 7y ago
  He seems like a fun guy.
- turingbike 7y ago
  Stamets' book, Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World [0] is very good, and his enthusiasm is definitely contagious. I will check out the podcast, thought tbh Joe Rogan is pretty hit or miss for me. [0] https://www.amazon.com/Mycelium-Running-Mushrooms-Help-World/dp/1580085792 https://www.amazon.com/Mycelium-Running-Mushrooms-Help-World...
legulere 7y ago
Meanwhile we use can use gamma radiation only by converting first to heat.
- raverbashing 7y ago
  Really Most of our "energy generation" is still based on 19th century physics Sure heating stuff and turning water into steam is easy, but it might not be the most efficient way of turning some sources into energy
  - ljcn 7y ago
    I know nothing about this but just did a little reading. It seems some direct nuclear to electricity methods are 90% efficient. https://www.quora.com/Is-it-possible-to-convert-nuclear-energy-into-electricity-directly-Why-not https://www.quora.com/Is-it-possible-to-convert-nuclear-ener... PIDEC sounds like it works well with conventional IV gen reactors, achieving an extra 40% efficiency. ICC (a kind of DEC) seems suited to fusion and can exceed 90% efficiency.
    - zamalek 7y ago
      I suspect the problem is that we've been building steam engines for a very long time, and have become very good at it. We'd be starting at zero, from an engineering standpoint, for PIDEC and ICC. It's a worthwhile task, but it would be billions laid down for something that has never been done at scale before (read: the government would have to fund the experimental reactor).
  - nerdponx 7y ago
    This has always bothered me. To think that we can induce nuclear fission, but then can't actually use the generated energy without boiling water and using it to turn a turbine!
    - gameswithgo 7y ago
      Sometimes we just stumble onto a near ideal solution early. A chain on a cog for a bike drive for instance. People keep trying other things but they are all less efficient.
blauditore 7y ago
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).
- vixen99 7y ago
  https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/safety-and-security/radiation-and-health/naturally-occurring-radioactive-materials-norm.aspx https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/safety-and... i.e., Naturally occurring radiation
- brohee 7y ago
  There is background radiation, but natural nuclear fission reactor can exist too... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_nuclear_fission_reactor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_nuclear_fission_reacto...
- Hendrikto 7y ago
  Humans did not invest radioactive decay. We merely discovered it.
  - blauditore 7y ago
    Of course, but the radiation caused by artificial reactors (and their leftovers) is magnitudes higher than anything in the wild.
- magicalhippo 7y ago
  Radon is an issue many places. It comes from naturally occurring thorium and uranium in rock, especially granite. I imagine fungi and bacteria might have evolved to be able to utilize the radioactive energy in areas with relatively high concentration.
- muthas 7y ago
  Based on how we humans use melanin, I would believe that this is a case of having these environmental-stress-reduction "tools" basically already in play (to deal with UV, free radicals, background radiation, etc.), then capitalizing on their functionality when a new source of stress (ionizing radiation) enters their world. Not to suggest that the melanin with these particular fungi wasn't a wee bit unique to make it better at dealing with converting ionizing radiation usefully, or that natural selection hasn't taken place to improve the existing melanin for even better utilization of this abundant, high-energy source! I just don't think that the fungi created this from scratch after the exposure began.
apo 7y ago
> Radiotrophic fungi were discovered in 1991 growing inside and around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.[1] The original study is open access and is worth reading. Here's an interesting little review: > 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. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1866175/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1866175/ In particular the part about growing towards contaminated particles, "engulfing and destroying" them, seems like a finding with enormous practical potential.
- londons_explore 7y ago
  No known biological process can "destroy" a radioactive isotope... I wonder what they mean... Perhaps they simply mean "break up"
  - vilhelm_s 7y ago
    I guess the papers they cite are in Russian, so maybe someone else can dig into it more, but at least they link to abstracts in English [1,2] which say > Two ways of radioactive particles destruction by C. cladosporioides were established, one of them is a direct way by fungal overgrowth of hot particles and the second one an indirect way only by fungal metabolites. > It has been found out for the first time that Cladosporium cladosporioides and Penicillium roseo-purpureum are able actively overgrow "hot" particles whose radioactivity did not exceed 3.1-1.0(-7) Ci by gamma-spectrum and to destroy them 50-150 days later. So it seems that the fungus forms a layer around the particle? [1] https://europepmc.org/abstract/med/12664550 https://europepmc.org/abstract/med/12664550 [2] https://europepmc.org/abstract/med/1753889 https://europepmc.org/abstract/med/1753889
londons_explore 7y ago
How fast do these fungi grow? 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.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
jaddood 7y ago
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.
- justinclift 7y ago
  If someone does this, please name your gamma radiation absorbing fungi "The Hulk". :)
  - muthas 7y ago
    ...with the corresponding scientific name would be "Brucea Banneriolus".
lioeters 7y ago
On a related note, I wanted to mention "mycoremediation", a "fungi-based technology to decontaminate the environment" [0]. 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] [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoremediation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoremediation [1] https://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/using-fungi-remediate-radiation-fukushima https://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/using-fungi-remediat...
rezmason 7y ago
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.

262 points by zerogvt 7y ago

If you're interested in funghi, I recommend Joe Rogans podcast with Paul Stamets, funghi seem to be able to do many things: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPqWstVnRjQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPqWstVnRjQ

_carl_jung 7y ago
I listened to this while preparing for and sitting in a trans-atlantic flight and I loved the whole thing. Paul Stamets verges on cuckoo and it only seems to add to his charm!
VvdHout 7y ago
Incredible podcast. Super interesting to see somebody so completely soaked into a single topic.
Robin_Message 7y ago
Ammusingly, Paul Stamets is the name of a scientist in the newest star trek series. He is an astro-mycologist and apparently they named him for this real scientist.
- eadan 7y ago
  Paul Stamets is a fascinating person. You're right, the Star Trek character is named after him [0]. I remember hearing, perhaps in the Joe Rogan podcast, that he consulted for the show. He has a brilliant TED talk on the world-changing potential of fungi research [1]. [0] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/paul-stamets-star-trek-mushroom-expert-mycology-1.4454204 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/paul-stamets... [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI5frPV58tY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI5frPV58tY
- mirceal 7y ago
  the character is named after him.
  - resoluteteeth 7y ago
    The comment you are responding to says that.
    - cestith 7y ago
      So long as we're correcting people, no. The comment in question says "apparently" the character was named after him. Someone replied that was in fact the case. Then you came along and shamed the person for confirming it.
      - mirceal 7y ago
        for what is worth the parent comment I responded to was: "Ammusingly, Paul Stamets is the name of a scientist in the newest star trek series." The clarification was added afterwards, but who cares. if people want to downvote me, go ahead :)
- chubot 7y ago
  He's also a primary "character" in Michael Pollan's book "How To Change Your Mind", on psychadelic mushrooms and LSD (which I'm about halfway through). Pollan has a pretty funny relationship with him -- almost like "frenemies".
adamnemecek 7y ago
He seems like a fun guy.
turingbike 7y ago
Stamets' book, Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World [0] is very good, and his enthusiasm is definitely contagious. I will check out the podcast, thought tbh Joe Rogan is pretty hit or miss for me. [0] https://www.amazon.com/Mycelium-Running-Mushrooms-Help-World/dp/1580085792 https://www.amazon.com/Mycelium-Running-Mushrooms-Help-World...

legulere 7y ago

Meanwhile we use can use gamma radiation only by converting first to heat.

raverbashing 7y ago
Really Most of our "energy generation" is still based on 19th century physics Sure heating stuff and turning water into steam is easy, but it might not be the most efficient way of turning some sources into energy
- ljcn 7y ago
  I know nothing about this but just did a little reading. It seems some direct nuclear to electricity methods are 90% efficient. https://www.quora.com/Is-it-possible-to-convert-nuclear-energy-into-electricity-directly-Why-not https://www.quora.com/Is-it-possible-to-convert-nuclear-ener... PIDEC sounds like it works well with conventional IV gen reactors, achieving an extra 40% efficiency. ICC (a kind of DEC) seems suited to fusion and can exceed 90% efficiency.
  - zamalek 7y ago
    I suspect the problem is that we've been building steam engines for a very long time, and have become very good at it. We'd be starting at zero, from an engineering standpoint, for PIDEC and ICC. It's a worthwhile task, but it would be billions laid down for something that has never been done at scale before (read: the government would have to fund the experimental reactor).
- nerdponx 7y ago
  This has always bothered me. To think that we can induce nuclear fission, but then can't actually use the generated energy without boiling water and using it to turn a turbine!
  - gameswithgo 7y ago
    Sometimes we just stumble onto a near ideal solution early. A chain on a cog for a bike drive for instance. People keep trying other things but they are all less efficient.

blauditore 7y ago

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).

vixen99 7y ago
https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/safety-and-security/radiation-and-health/naturally-occurring-radioactive-materials-norm.aspx https://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/safety-and... i.e., Naturally occurring radiation
brohee 7y ago
There is background radiation, but natural nuclear fission reactor can exist too... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_nuclear_fission_reactor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_nuclear_fission_reacto...
Hendrikto 7y ago
Humans did not invest radioactive decay. We merely discovered it.
- blauditore 7y ago
  Of course, but the radiation caused by artificial reactors (and their leftovers) is magnitudes higher than anything in the wild.
magicalhippo 7y ago
Radon is an issue many places. It comes from naturally occurring thorium and uranium in rock, especially granite. I imagine fungi and bacteria might have evolved to be able to utilize the radioactive energy in areas with relatively high concentration.
muthas 7y ago
Based on how we humans use melanin, I would believe that this is a case of having these environmental-stress-reduction "tools" basically already in play (to deal with UV, free radicals, background radiation, etc.), then capitalizing on their functionality when a new source of stress (ionizing radiation) enters their world. Not to suggest that the melanin with these particular fungi wasn't a wee bit unique to make it better at dealing with converting ionizing radiation usefully, or that natural selection hasn't taken place to improve the existing melanin for even better utilization of this abundant, high-energy source! I just don't think that the fungi created this from scratch after the exposure began.

apo 7y ago

> Radiotrophic fungi were discovered in 1991 growing inside and around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.[1] The original study is open access and is worth reading. Here's an interesting little review: > 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. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1866175/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1866175/ In particular the part about growing towards contaminated particles, "engulfing and destroying" them, seems like a finding with enormous practical potential.

londons_explore 7y ago
No known biological process can "destroy" a radioactive isotope... I wonder what they mean... Perhaps they simply mean "break up"
- vilhelm_s 7y ago
  I guess the papers they cite are in Russian, so maybe someone else can dig into it more, but at least they link to abstracts in English [1,2] which say > Two ways of radioactive particles destruction by C. cladosporioides were established, one of them is a direct way by fungal overgrowth of hot particles and the second one an indirect way only by fungal metabolites. > It has been found out for the first time that Cladosporium cladosporioides and Penicillium roseo-purpureum are able actively overgrow "hot" particles whose radioactivity did not exceed 3.1-1.0(-7) Ci by gamma-spectrum and to destroy them 50-150 days later. So it seems that the fungus forms a layer around the particle? [1] https://europepmc.org/abstract/med/12664550 https://europepmc.org/abstract/med/12664550 [2] https://europepmc.org/abstract/med/1753889 https://europepmc.org/abstract/med/1753889

londons_explore 7y ago

How fast do these fungi grow? 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.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

jaddood 7y ago

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.

justinclift 7y ago
If someone does this, please name your gamma radiation absorbing fungi "The Hulk". :)
- muthas 7y ago
  ...with the corresponding scientific name would be "Brucea Banneriolus".

lioeters 7y ago

On a related note, I wanted to mention "mycoremediation", a "fungi-based technology to decontaminate the environment" [0]. 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] [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoremediation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoremediation [1] https://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/using-fungi-remediate-radiation-fukushima https://www.permaculture.co.uk/articles/using-fungi-remediat...

rezmason 7y ago

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.