Given we can't solve our black mold problem, might as well tell ourselves we're in symbiosis with it. It's our radiation shielding, see. That, and cactuses. Truly the science of winning.
The mysterious black fungus from Chernobyl that may eat radiation
81–90 of 113 posts
Re: The mysterious black fungus from Chernobyl that may eat radiation
#82Earlier quoted context omitted.
Just dry the fungus and burn it. The process is fairly analogous to photosynthesis in plants, so we've basically already been doing this since we learned to make fire, just with a different source of radiation.
That would be fun on a space craft. Steam power spacecraft, powered by burning mushrooms.
Humans become interstellar species.
Energy source is still heated water.
Re: The mysterious black fungus from Chernobyl that may eat radiation
#83I don't understand why the nuclear industry wouldn't pile in to fund research into this area (as a potential way to clean up nuclear waste). Probably I don't understand how this fungus actually works and it is impossible!
almost nobody cares about solving actual problems :C
Re: The mysterious black fungus from Chernobyl that may eat radiation
#84Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think the Martian was adapted well from book to movie, so I have hope for this one. That said, compressing the entire story into a theatre runtime is tricky: I think it would be a win if only half of the character and relationship growth of the two ship bound protagonists comes through in the adaptation (because it was sooo good in the book!)
The Martian was well adapted as the story has an attention to scientific details, can’t say that for Project Hail Mary
True - but I think that might make the adaptation to a movie easier, not harder.
Like GP said, I think the trick to this book is in the relationship between the 2 main characters, so hopefully they nail that. Judging by the trailer they made it all quite humorous.
Re: The mysterious black fungus from Chernobyl that may eat radiation
#85This would be a cool origin story for astrophage (from Project Hail Mary, a fun & light sci fi read by the Martian guy)
There is a movie coming with Ryan Gosling, I sure hope they keep the spirit of the book and don't turn that into some bizarre hollywoodish cash grab
Andy Weir is a producer on this one. The trailer looks good (with spoilers)
Re: The mysterious black fungus from Chernobyl that may eat radiation
#86I don't understand why the nuclear industry wouldn't pile in to fund research into this area (as a potential way to clean up nuclear waste). Probably I don't understand how this fungus actually works and it is impossible!
clean it up how? by having fungus grow near it?
Re: The mysterious black fungus from Chernobyl that may eat radiation
#87I don't understand why the nuclear industry wouldn't pile in to fund research into this area (as a potential way to clean up nuclear waste). Probably I don't understand how this fungus actually works and it is impossible!
As mentioned elsethread, it doesn't actually clean up anything, since it doesn't affect the waste at all, just turns some of the radiation into metabolism in the same way that plants turn solar radiation into metabolism.
Even if it did somehow accelerate the decay, it wouldn't be that useful, since (Chernobyl aside), all the waste from the typical civilian nuclear reactor can fit in a side lot on the site of the reactor complex itself (and often does!). There just isn't that much radioactive waste to clean up!
Re: The mysterious black fungus from Chernobyl that may eat radiation
#88[dead]
Re: The mysterious black fungus from Chernobyl that may eat radiation
#89But the half life of the atoms is still the same, no? The bacteria and fungi harness the radioactivity, but it’s not that they “get rid” of the radioactive material.
Re: The mysterious black fungus from Chernobyl that may eat radiation
#90I don't understand why the nuclear industry wouldn't pile in to fund research into this area (as a potential way to clean up nuclear waste). Probably I don't understand how this fungus actually works and it is impossible!
for sure noone understand fully how a living organism "works" but it could be possible... at least to learn something.