Researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have been experimenting with various fungi and their response to radiation. The experiment started when a robot exploring the Chernobyl site found several large growths of a dark, melanin rich fungi. Melanin is present in all fungi, as well as people - it's the chemical that makes our skin darker. Dr. Casadevall theorized that the fungi were able to use the radiation at Chernobyl as an energy source for growth. After some test were performed, Dr. Casadevall seems to have been correct. Darker fungi containing more melanin will indeed grow faster in a radiation rich environment.

It may be possible for future missions to space to grow their own mushrooms for consumption. After all, there's plenty of radiation in space. However, according to BoingBoing comments, the currently know species of mushroom that are particularly good at converting radiation into energy are not exactly edible.

Via BoingBoing

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