Can Cockroaches Survive Radiation and What Can We Learn From Them?

[wolram]

i don't know anything about biology and i apologies if
this question has been asked befor.
but can someone please explain how cockroaches resist
radiation, and if there are other creatures with the
same ability?
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They have existed for nearly 250 million years ago, and have withstood everything that mother-nature and the galactic forces could throw at them, and are extremely resistant to radiation. And you thought that aerosol spray might kill cockroaches.

 

[Monique]

Don't apologize for being curious!
Here, you might want to read this: http://www.entsoc.org/pubs/AE/AE-2001/fall/busswords.pdf I am going through it at the moment..

 

[Monique]

Wow, that is a really good article, definitely worth reading Written by May Berenbaum, professor and head of the Department of Entomology, University of Illinois; published in American Entomologist 47(3).

"[They] conclusively demonstrated that the American cockroach was, compared with the rest of the known irradiated insect world, a wimp; P. americana died at doses of 20,000 rads. In comparison, it was noted that D. melanogaster [fruit fly] had a LD₁₀₀ of 64,000 rads and the parasitoid wasp Habrobracon an LD₁₀₀ of 180,000 rads."

"D. radiodurans (as the specific epithet suggests) is withoug doubt the most radiation-resistant organism known on the planet. A pinkish bacterium that smells vaguely of rotten cabbage, it was isolated originally from canned meat that had spoiled despite being irradiated (it has turned up in irradiated fish and duck meat, as well as in the dung of elephants and Ilamas and in granite from Antartica) (Travis 1998). It grows happily in radioactive waste sites in the presence of levels as high as 1.5 million rads (keep in mind that's over 1,000 times the 1,000 rads that kill humans and sterilizes American cockroaches). In a frozen state it may even be able to withstand 3 million rads."

WHOA! That is interesting.. I wonder how much research is currently being done on this bacterium, how in the world is it able to protect itself from such radiation?? Does it produce molecules that fish away the dangerous radiation - prevention of damage - or does it have very comprehensive mechanisms to repair the damage? This might give good insight for the development of sunscreen products of cancer therapy..

 

[wolram]

an interesting and somewhat humorous paper, so the cockroach
is not the most resistant organism to radiation, a bacterium
that lives in elephant p** is, deinococcus radiourans,"what a
name", is able to withstand 1.5M rads, that is amazing, so
any survivors of a N war will be flies or slime yuk.

 

[Monique]

Deinococcus radiodurans
"strange berry that withstands radiation"

coccus (berry) is the name given to spherial bacteria.

Not such a strange name if you ask me

 

[wolram]

this organism is something from sci fi, able to regenerate
its structure every few micro seconds?
is there no limit to "life"?

 

[russ_watters]

I think the point of the old saying about cockroaches and nuclear bombs is that they're pretty well protected under your fridge.

 

[DarkAnt]

...In your walls, behind your stove, in the cabinets, in the ground, in my brother's room... yup, those roaches are happy just about everywhere. Cheap army housing!

 

[nautica]

Originally posted by Monique
This might give good insight for the development of sunscreen products of cancer therapy..

Sunscreen? Hell, give me the 1,000 x 1,000 protection. Now that could be interesting.

Nautica