Chernobyl: In the “Service” of Man… Radiation-Exposed Worms

Tiny worms living in the highly radioactive environment of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone have become immune to radiation, a study has shown.

The area in question, which has been the center of scientific research for the past decade, serves as a “laboratory” for scientists who discover mutations and genetic abnormalities caused by continuous exposure to high levels of radiation.

For example, tree frogs that should be green are black, while wolves appear to have evolved cancer-resistant genomes.

However, according to Science Alert, the same is not true for microscopic nematodes with a simple genetic makeup, which reproduce quickly.

Studies in the Chernobyl “laboratory”.

Scientists from the United States and Ukraine visited the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone to study the effects of prolonged exposure to radiation on worms living in the area.

After collecting worms of the Oschieus tipulae species from different areas with varying amounts of radiation exposure, the scientists concluded that the worms’ genomes showed no signs of damage.

Are the worms resistant or is the area safe?

However, the researchers note that this does not indicate that the area in question is safe, but rather that the worms are resilient and able to adapt to conditions that may be inhospitable to other species.

However, according to the international team of biologists led by Sophia Tindori of New York University, the discovery could provide new information about DNA repair mechanisms.

“Now that we know which strains of O. tipulae are most vulnerable or most tolerant, we can use them to figure out why some people are more susceptible to the effects of carcinogens,” the researcher explained.

The research was published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.