A living organism is thriving where almost nothing else can
Inside the remains of the nuclear disaster, scientists found a rare black fungus that doesn't just survive radiation, but actually eat it.
It uses melanin to absorb harmful gamma rays and convert them into energy, similar to how plants use sunlight.
This fungus was even tested in space, where it kept growing and slightly reduced radiation on the ISS.
Some researchers now believe it could be used to help shield future astronauts from deep space radiation.
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