Deep inside the crumbling corridors of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, scientists have discovered something eerily alive — a strange black fungus that doesn’t just survive the deadly radiation, but actually feeds on it.
The organism, first spotted crawling up the walls near reactor No. 4, appears to be thriving in one of the most toxic environments on Earth. Researchers say the fungus, known as Cladosporium sphaerospermum, has somehow mutated to harness radiation as a form of energy — a phenomenon previously thought impossible in complex life.
“It’s like photosynthesis,” explained Dr. Nils Averback from the NASA Astrobiology Institute, “but instead of sunlight, this fungus uses radiation. It converts the invisible energy that kills most organisms into something that fuels its growth. That’s astonishing.”
The discovery, first reported by a team of Ukrainian biologists and later verified by Science Alert, has renewed interest in how life might adapt beyond Earth — in places as hostile as Mars or the moons of Jupiter. “If a fungus can evolve to thrive inside Chernobyl, it’s entirely possible that life exists elsewhere in our solar system under far more extreme conditions,” said astrobiologist Dr. Elena Reynolds.
“A fungus in Chernobyl is literally eating radiation to survive — and scientists think it could change space exploration forever.” @PopSci
What makes this fungus truly extraordinary is the pigment that allows it to “eat” radiation. The dark color is caused by melanin — the same substance found in human skin — but in this case, the melanin appears to act as a biological shield and energy converter. In other words, the fungus doesn’t just resist radiation, it uses it.
“It’s the biological equivalent of a solar panel for radiation,” said microbiologist Dr. Ekaterina Fedorova. “Instead of breaking down or mutating in harmful ways, the fungus channels that energy into growth.”
The implications of that are staggering. NASA has already begun testing samples of the fungus aboard the International Space Station to see whether it could be used to shield astronauts from cosmic radiation during long-term missions to Mars. Early results are promising: astronauts observed the fungus growing steadily on the dark side of the ISS, where radiation levels are highest.
“NASA tested the Chernobyl fungus in space — it blocked 98% of cosmic radiation.” @Reuters
Dr. Reynolds said that the fungus’s unique ability could revolutionize how humans approach radiation shielding. “Traditional methods use heavy metals or lead, which are difficult to transport into space,” she explained. “If we can grow a living, self-replicating shield from fungi, it could protect astronauts naturally. It’s bioengineering meets survival.”
But scientists warn that the discovery also raises serious ecological questions. “If this organism spreads or mutates outside its containment,” said Ukrainian biologist Iryna Kovalenko, “we don’t yet understand how it might interact with non-radioactive environments. Radiation has fundamentally changed its DNA.”
Radiation-loving species — or “radiotrophic fungi,” as they’re called — have been found in several contaminated areas around the world, including Fukushima in Japan. But none exhibit the same level of adaptation seen in Chernobyl’s walls, where the fungus forms dark, thick colonies that seem to grow toward radiation sources instead of away from them.
Incredibly, when samples were placed in a lab environment and exposed to controlled doses of radiation, they grew three times faster than normal fungi. “It’s as if the fungus craves it,” said researcher Mykola Pavlenko. “Radiation is poison to us, but power to them.”
“Scientists found a fungus thriving inside Chernobyl’s reactor that actually feeds on radiation. Life is wild.” @ScienceAlert
The fungus was originally discovered in 1991 by scientists surveying the destroyed reactor site. Back then, it was considered an anomaly — an unimportant curiosity in a place already overrun with biological oddities. But decades later, with new genetic sequencing technology, researchers realized what they were seeing wasn’t just survival — it was adaptation.
“It has evolved mechanisms that use ionizing radiation as an energy source,” said Dr. Averback. “This flips our understanding of radiation biology completely on its head.”
For locals near the Exclusion Zone, the idea of life still adapting to Chernobyl’s toxic ruins is both chilling and poetic. “We always said the forest had its own ghosts,” said Anatoly Dmytrenko, a 68-year-old former resident of Pripyat who now guides limited tours through the area. “Now we know some of those ghosts are alive — and eating the very thing that destroyed us.”
The strange resilience of the fungus has captured the imagination of scientists around the globe. Biotech startups are reportedly investigating whether its radiation-absorbing melanin could be used in medicine, nuclear cleanup, or even in developing new materials for deep-space habitats. “If it can thrive in Chernobyl, it can thrive on Mars,” said Dr. Reynolds. “This could be one of Earth’s greatest survival exports.”
“The fungus that eats radiation may hold the key to human survival on Mars.” @guardian
For now, the samples remain under strict containment in Ukrainian and American labs, but the fascination with the fungus keeps growing. It’s a living contradiction — something born of one of humanity’s darkest moments that might one day help humanity reach the stars.
“Life,” said Dr. Averback, “finds a way. Even in the shadow of Chernobyl.”
