Short Wave
Short Wave
NPR
Conan The Bacterium's Superpower: Resisting Radiation
8 minutes Posted Dec 13, 2024 at 8:00 am.
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Show notes
In the 1950s, scientists exposed a tin of meat to a dose of radiation that they expected would kill all forms of life. But one organism defied the odds and lived: Conan The Bacterium. Turns out this microorganism, known to science as Deinococcus radiodurans, is capable of surviving extreme levels of radiationthousands of times the amount that would kill a human. So what's Conan's secret?

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