Some fungi at the Chernobyl nuclear site actually eat radiation to grow.

In 1991, five years after the Chernobyl disaster, researchers using remote-controlled robots discovered black fungi growing on the walls of the decommissioned Reactor 4. These organisms, including species like Cryptococcus neoformans and Cladosporium sphaerospermum, were found to be rich in melanin. Melanin is the same pigment that protects human skin from ultraviolet rays, but in these fungi, it serves a much more active role.Laboratory tests conducted at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 2007 confirmed that these fungi grow significantly faster when exposed to ionizing radiation. The melanin molecules capture the energy from gamma rays and convert it into chemical energy to fuel the fungus's metabolism. This biological mechanism is now formally known as radiosynthesis, a discovery that challenged the scientific understanding of how life can harvest energy.The implications for this discovery extend far beyond Earth. In 2020, samples of these fungi were sent to the International Space Station to test their ability to block cosmic radiation. Early results showed that a thin layer of the fungus could significantly reduce radiation levels, suggesting they could be used to create living shields for astronauts on missions to Mars. This research highlights how life can adapt to even the most hostile man-made environments on the planet.