5 ms·

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 ast

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.
aaaaaar 7y ago
There is another example of this occuring, linked from that Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nylon-eating_bacteria https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nylon-eating_bacteria

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.

aaaaaar 7y ago

There is another example of this occuring, linked from that Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nylon-eating_bacteria https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nylon-eating_bacteria