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    <h1
class="fs-headline speakable-headline font-base font-size fs-headline__standard"
style="box-sizing: inherit; font: 400 48px / 1.2 "SchnyderS demi", Garamond, serif; margin-block: 0px; margin: 8px 0px 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">This
      Black Fungus Might Be Healing Chernobyl By Drinking Radiation—A
      Biologist Explains</h1>
    <p><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/scotttravers/2024/11/02/this-black-fungus-might-be-healing-chernobyl-by-drinking-radiation-a-biologist-explains/">https://www.forbes.com/sites/scotttravers/2024/11/02/this-black-fungus-might-be-healing-chernobyl-by-drinking-radiation-a-biologist-explains/</a></p>
    <p
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">The
      explosion of the No. 4 reactor of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power
      Plant near Pripyat, Ukraine on April 26, 1986 remains the worst
      nuclear disaster in human history. It left a 30-kilometer
      exclusion zone—a deserted landscape where high radiation levels
      remain even now, decades after the incident—where human settlement
      and habitation are restricted.</p>
    <div class="halfway_hardwall_1"
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"></div>
    <div class="article_paragraph_2"
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"></div>
    <p
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Within
      this zone, however, scientists have discovered an unlikely
      survivor: a resilient black fungus called<span> </span><em
        style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic;">Cladosporium
        sphaerospermum.</em><span> </span>After the Chernobyl disaster,
      scientists observed patches of blackened growths on the walls of
      the No. 4 reactor—fungi that seemed to thrive where the radiation
      was highest.</p>
    <p
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">This
      fungus has adapted to a level of radiation that would be lethal
      for most life forms. Even more fascinating is its ability to
      “feed” on this radiation, using it as a source of energy, similar
      to how plants use sunlight for photosynthesis.</p>
    <div class="halfway_hardwall_3"
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"></div>
    <p
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Further
      research discovered that<span> </span><em
        style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic;">C.
        sphaerospermum<span> </span></em>and some other black fungi
      species, like<span> </span><em
        style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic;">Wangiella
        dermatitis<span> </span></em>and<span> </span><em
        style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic;">Cryptococcus
        neoformans,</em><span> </span>possessed melanin, the pigment
      responsible for human skin color. However, in these fungi, the
      melanin served a different purpose: it absorbed radiation, which
      was then converted into usable energy, allowing it to grow in
      areas with intense radioactive exposure.</p>
    <div class="halfway_hardwall_4"
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"></div>
    <p
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">It’s
      a remarkable adaptation that offers a glimpse into how life can
      flourish in some of the most extreme and hostile places on the
      planet.</p>
    <p
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><em
        style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic;">Cladosporium
        sphaerospermum<span> </span></em>belongs to a group of fungi
      known as radiotrophic fungi. Radiotrophic organisms can capture
      and utilize ionizing radiation to drive metabolic processes.</p>
    <p
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">In
      the case of<span> </span><em
        style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic;">C.
        sphaerospermum,<span> </span></em>its high melanin content
      allows it to absorb radiation, similar to how plants absorb
      sunlight through chlorophyll, according to an October 2008<span> </span><a
        href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2677413/"
        rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"
        class="color-link"
        title="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2677413/"
data-ga-track="ExternalLink:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2677413/"
        aria-label="article"
style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 56, 145); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">article</a><span> </span>published
      in the<span> </span><em
        style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic;">National
        Library of Medicine</em>.</p>
    <p
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">While
      this process is not identical to photosynthesis, it serves a
      comparable purpose and converts energy from the environment to
      sustain growth. This phenomenon, called radiosynthesis, has opened
      up exciting avenues in biochemistry and radiation research.</p>
    <p
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Melanin,
      found in many living organisms, acts as a natural shield against
      UV radiation. However, in<span> </span><em
        style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic;">C.
        sphaerospermum,<span> </span></em>it does more than shield: it
      facilitates energy production by converting gamma radiation into
      chemical energy.</p>
    <p
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">An<span> </span><a
href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0000457"
        rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"
        class="color-link"
title="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0000457"
data-ga-track="ExternalLink:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0000457"
        aria-label="article"
style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 56, 145); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">article</a><span> </span>published
      in the journal<span> </span><em
        style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic;">PLOS ONE</em><span> </span>in
      2007 confirmed this unusual energy production mechanism, showing
      that fungi like<span> </span><em
        style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic;">C.
        sphaerospermum<span> </span></em>grown in high-radiation
      environments tend to grow faster than those in non-radioactive
      conditions. It is a discovery that is reshaping scientists’
      understanding of the survival strategies of<span> </span><a
href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/scotttravers/2024/09/13/3-reasons-why-tardigrades-are-supernatural-spoiler-they-can-survive-in-space/"
        target="_self" class="color-link"
title="https://www.forbes.com/sites/scotttravers/2024/09/13/3-reasons-why-tardigrades-are-supernatural-spoiler-they-can-survive-in-space/"
data-ga-track="InternalLink:https://www.forbes.com/sites/scotttravers/2024/09/13/3-reasons-why-tardigrades-are-supernatural-spoiler-they-can-survive-in-space/"
        aria-label="extremophiles"
style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 56, 145); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"><strong
data-ga-track="InternalLink:https://www.forbes.com/sites/scotttravers/2024/09/13/3-reasons-why-tardigrades-are-supernatural-spoiler-they-can-survive-in-space/"
          style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700;">extremophiles</strong></a>—organisms
      that can withstand extreme environmental conditions.</p>
    <h2
class="subhead-embed color-accent bg-base font-accent font-size text-align"
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-block: 0px; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.25; margin: 1.2rem 0px; scroll-margin-top: 64px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Merriweather, GeorgiaCustom; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Radiotrophic
      Fungi May Be An Ally In Battling Radiation</h2>
    <p
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">The
      discovery of<span> </span><em
        style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic;">C.
        sphaerospermum<span> </span></em>in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone
      has brought renewed attention to radiotrophic fungi, particularly
      for their potential role in bioremediation—the process of using
      living organisms to remove pollutants from the environment.</p>
    <p
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">In
      radioactive sites like Chernobyl, where conventional cleanup
      methods are challenging and hazardous, radiotrophic fungi can
      provide a safer, natural alternative, according to an April 2008<span> </span><a
href="https://academic.oup.com/femsle/article-abstract/281/2/109/474059?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false"
        rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"
        class="color-link"
title="https://academic.oup.com/femsle/article-abstract/281/2/109/474059?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false"
data-ga-track="ExternalLink:https://academic.oup.com/femsle/article-abstract/281/2/109/474059?redirectedFrom=fulltext&login=false"
        aria-label="article"
style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 56, 145); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">article</a><span> </span>published
      in<span> </span><em
        style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic;">FEMS
        Microbiology Letters</em>. Since<span> </span><em
        style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic;">C.
        sphaerospermum<span> </span></em>can absorb radiation and use it
      as fuel, scientists are exploring the feasibility of deploying
      these fungi to contain and potentially reduce radiation levels in
      contaminated areas.</p>
    <p
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Beyond
      the borders of the exclusion zone, scientists are investigating
      other applications, especially in the field of space exploration.
      The harsh, radiation-heavy environment of space is one of the most
      significant challenges facing long-term missions to Mars and
      beyond.</p>
    <p
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><em
        style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic;">C.
        sphaerospermum<span> </span></em>has already been sent to the
      International Space Station (ISS) for experiments to determine
      whether its unique radiation tolerance could protect astronauts
      from cosmic radiation.<span> </span><a
        href="https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/roundup/2038"
        rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"
        class="color-link"
        title="https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/roundup/2038"
data-ga-track="ExternalLink:https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/roundup/2038"
        aria-label="Early results"
style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 56, 145); cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Early
        results</a><span> </span>have been promising, suggesting that
      this fungus could potentially be used to develop
      radiation-resistant habitats or even provide radiation-shielded
      food sources for space travelers.</p>
    <h2
class="subhead-embed color-accent bg-base font-accent font-size text-align"
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-block: 0px; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.25; margin: 1.2rem 0px; scroll-margin-top: 64px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Merriweather, GeorgiaCustom; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">The
      Power Of Adaptation To Drive Innovation</h2>
    <p
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">In
      addition to its unique feeding habits,<span> </span><em
        style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic;">C.
        sphaerospermum<span> </span></em>is also renowned for its
      hardiness. It can withstand low temperatures, high salt
      concentrations and extreme acidity, making it one of the most
      resilient fungi discovered.</p>
    <p
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">Its
      ability to adapt to hostile environments has given researchers
      hope that it may hold clues for further studies into stress
      tolerance mechanisms, which could lead to advancements in
      biotechnology and agriculture. For example, genes responsible for
      this hardiness and resilience might one day be used to develop
      radiation-resistant materials or be adapted to help crops survive
      in harsh climates.</p>
    <p
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><em
        style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic;">C.
        sphaerospermum<span> </span></em>also offers hope in addressing
      some pressing environmental challenges—could it possibly play a
      role in cleaning up radioactive waste, perhaps?</p>
    <p
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;">As
      research continues, the lessons we learn from this amazing fungi
      could inspire innovation in a wide range of fields, and in the
      process, understanding the boundaries of life itself.</p>
    <p
style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.2rem; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, Cambria, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: common-ligatures; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"></p>
    <p
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    <p
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    <p></p>
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data-author-html-description="<p>I am an American evolutionary biologist, based at Rutgers University, where I specialize in biodiversity, evolution, and genomics. Drop me a note, <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://buymeacoffee.com/scotttravers">here</a>. Thanks for your readership and support.</p>"
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    <p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; display: inline;">I am
      an American evolutionary biologist, based at Rutgers University,
      where I specialize in biodiversity, evolution, and genomics. Drop
      me a note,<span> </span><a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"
        href="https://buymeacoffee.com/scotttravers"
style="box-sizing: inherit; background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 56, 145); cursor: pointer;">here</a>.
      Thanks for your readership and support.</p>
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    <pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">-- 
-------
Ray Lutz
Citizens' Oversight Projects (COPs)
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.citizensoversight.org">http://www.citizensoversight.org</a>
619-820-5321</pre>
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