Chernobyl Fungus Appears to Have Evolved an Incredible Ability

What is the name of the fungus found thriving in the Chernobyl exclusion zone?

• Cladosporium sphaerospermum

• Wangiella dermatitidis

• Cladosporium cladosporioides

• Aspergillus niger

What pigment in Cladosporium sphaerospermum is thought to help it harness ionizing radiation?

• Melanin

• Chlorophyll

• Hemoglobin

• Carotene

What term is used to describe the proposed mechanism by which the fungus might harness ionizing radiation?

• Ionization synthesis

• Radiosynthesis

• Radiation absorption

• Photosynthesis

Which scientist led the field survey in the late 1990s to study life in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone?

• Ekaterina Dadachova

• Rui Tomé

• Nelli Zhdanova

• Arturo Casadevall

How many species of fungi were documented in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone during the survey?

• 20

• 37

• 50

• 15

What type of radiation does Cladosporium sphaerospermum seem resistant to?

• Ultraviolet radiation

• Ionizing radiation

• Cosmic radiation

• Gamma radiation

What is the primary harmful effect of ionizing radiation on living organisms?

• It causes dehydration

• It interferes with biochemical reactions and damages DNA

• It reduces oxygen levels

• It increases body temperature

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-3

What did the 2022 study involving Cladosporium sphaerospermum on the ISS aim to explore?

• The fungus's potential as a radiation shield

• Radiosynthesis mechanisms

• Carbon fixation under radiation

• Enhanced melanin production

What did sensors beneath the petri dish on the ISS experiment reveal?

• Increased radiation penetration

• Reduced radiation penetration through the fungi

• No change in radiation levels

• Enhanced fungal growth

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-3

Which other fungus demonstrates enhanced growth under ionizing radiation?

• Penicillium chrysogenum

• Aspergillus fumigatus

• Wangiella dermatitidis

• Cladosporium cladosporioides