http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/may2007/2007-05-23-09.asp#anchor6
Radiation-Eating Fungi Found BRONX, New York, May 23, 2007 (ENS) - Researchers=20 at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine have=20 discovered that fungi that have the ability to=20 use radioactivity as an energy source for making=20 food and spurring their growth. The finding could trigger recalculation of=20 Earth's energy balance and the scientists say the=20 ability of fungi to live off radiation could=20 prove useful to venturing into outer space. "Since ionizing radiation is prevalent in outer=20 space, astronauts might be able to rely on fungi=20 as an inexhaustible food source on long missions=20 or for colonizing other planets," says Dr.=20 Ekaterina Dadachova, associate professor of=20 nuclear medicine and microbiology and immunology=20 at Einstein and lead author of the study. The research began five years ago when Dr. Arturo=20 Casadevall, chair of microbiology and immunology=20 at Einstein, read on the Internet that a robot=20 sent into the still highly radioactive damaged=20 reactor at Chernobyl had returned with samples of=20 black, fungi rich in melanin that were growing on=20 the reactor's walls. Those fungi that are able to "eat" radiation must=20 possess melanin, the pigment found in many if not=20 most fungal species. But up until now, melanin's=20 biological role in fungi, if any, has been a=20 mystery. [...] At 02:42 PM +0000 5/27/07, stan moore wrote: >YOu can read a public announcement of this at the following link: > >http://www.scienceagogo.com/news/20070422222547data_trunc_sys.shtml > > >I heard an interview on PBS' Science Friday=20 >with a researcher (Ektarina ...) and she said=20 >that the mechanism that involves melanin is not=20 >fully understood, but it appears that some fungi=20 >use melanin with radiation in a manner similar=20 >to the use of chlorophyll by green plants with=20 >visible light. > >Interesting ramiifications are suggested... > > >submitted by Stan Moore San Geronimo, CA [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >_________________________________________________________________ >Like the way Microsoft Office Outlook works?=20 >You=92ll love Windows Live Hotmail.=20 >http://imagine-windowslive.com/hotmail/?locale=3Den-us&ocid=3DTXT_TAGHM_mig= ration_HM_mini_outlook_0507
