At the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station, a fungus able to transform radiation into power has been unearthed.
Interesting Engineering: A fungus with the capacity to “consume” radiation and transform it into energy has been identified at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
Specifically, it’s Cladosporium sphaerospermum, a fungus possessing melanin. This pigment enables it not only to thrive under radiated circumstances, but also to soak up a portion of it.
Notably, its growth was 20% stronger aboard the ISS in comparison to conditions found on Earth.
This “organic defense” can be cultivated directly in space, rendering it a light and budget-friendly shielding possibility when contrasted with standard substances.
NASA is already researching the concept of myco-architecture—self-repairing constructions composed of mycelium—for forthcoming off-world settlements.
