"At Chernobyl, Hints of Nature's Adaption" - Camille Farrar

            It has been 26 years since the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant that caused the area for miles around it to be rendered uninhabitable due to the amounts of radiation. Dr. Timothy Mousseau has been studying the life forms in the area in order to get a better idea of the long-term effects of radiation. As expected, he found that many birds and other animals had tumors or different types of cancers, but more recently, he has found that some birds have adapted so that they have fewer genetic mutations. His most recent project is looking at how radiation affects spiders’ spinning of webs.

            I think it’s very interesting that some species of birds have begun to evolve to protect themselves against radiation. This occurrence could help researchers begin to find out the best ways to protect us from radiation. The lack of tumors in some of these birds is extremely reassuring because it means that there is a chance of adaption or evolution in any situation. Mousseau’s most recent research is highly interesting. Spiders have been known to alter the appearance of their web due to the type of substances they have been exposed to. I look forward to seeing whether the exposure to radiation will affect the webs or not.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/06/science/nature-adapts-to-chernobyl.html?ref=science&_r=0