Common Worm Species DNA Shows Immunity to Chernobyl Radiation

A team of American researchers has discovered that the DNA of a common worm species seems to be resistant to damage from chronic radiation in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ).

A common worm species seems to be resistant to damage from chronic radiation in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Image credit: tasnimnews.com

New York University (NYU) biology Professor Matthew Rockman and postdoctoral associate Sophia Tintori conducted the study. During their visit to the CEZ in 2019, they collected samples of a nematode worm species called Oscheius tipulae.

"These worms live everywhere, and they live quickly, so they go through dozens of generations of evolution while a typical vertebrate is still putting on its shoes," Rockman stated in a press release announcing the study's findings.

Equipped with Geiger counters and protected by gear, they gathered samples of soil, decaying fruits, and other organic materials containing the worms from various radiation levels.

The researchers sequenced the genomes of 15 worms collected from Chernobyl and compared them to five nematode lineages from other locations.

Although the worm lineages varied in their tolerance to DNA damage, these differences were not linked to the radiation levels at the collection sites.

The researchers stated that they "could not detect a signature of radiation damage" in the Chernobyl worms. While cautious about drawing conclusions, Tintori and Rockman expressed optimism that this research could have implications for cancer treatment.

A recent study from Princeton University also found that wolves living in the CEZ exhibit high resistance to cancer.

In April 1986, one of the four reactors at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded, releasing 400 times more radiation than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, during World War II.

Over 100,000 people were evacuated from the nearby city of Pripyat.

The entire area, located approximately 100 km north of Kiev, has been deemed uninhabitable for humans ever since. (Tasnim News Agency)

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Boiling Water May Remove Up to 90% of Microplastics

Boiling and filtering tap water could significantly reduce the amount of microplastics consumed, according to recent studies.

Earth’s earliest forest revealed in Somerset fossils

The oldest fossilised forest known on Earth – dating from 390 million years ago – has been found in the high sandstone cliffs along the Devon and Somerset coast of South West England.

Genetic mutation in a quarter of all Labradors hard-wires them for obesity

New research finds around a quarter of Labrador retriever dogs face a double-whammy of feeling hungry all the time and burning fewer calories due to a genetic mutation.

Researchers Use an Edible Blue-Green Algae to Protect Honey Bees Against Viruses

Scientists at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) developed an edible antiviral treatment that can be used to protect honey bees against Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) and other viruses.

There are no universal musical harmonies

The tone and tuning of musical instruments has the power to manipulate our appreciation of harmony, new research shows. The findings challenge centuries of Western music theory and encourage greater experimentation with instruments from different cultures.

NHS trial of sponge-on-a-string test replaces need for endoscopy for thousands of patients

A new test to help diagnose a condition that can lead to oesophageal cancer – developed by Cambridge researchers and trialled by the NHS – has reduced the need for invasive endoscopy in thousands of low-risk patients.