Wildlife Defies Chernobyl Radiation

An anonymous reader writes "The BBC reports that wildlife has reappeared in the Chernobyl region even with high levels of radiation. Populations of animals both common and rare have increased substantially and there are tantalizing reports of bear footprints and confirmed reports of large colonies of wild boars and wolves. These animals are radioactive but otherwise healthy. A large number of animals died initially due to problems like destroyed thyroid glands but their offspring seem to be physically healthy. Experiments have shown the DNA strands have undergone considerable mutation but such mutations have not impacted crucial functions like reproduction. It is remarkable that such a phenomenon has occurred contrary to common assumptions about nuclear waste. The article includes some controversial statements recommending disposal of nuclear waste in tropical forests to keep forest land away from greedy developers and farmers"

Comments

Re:Enviro-wackos change its tune.

[Reziac]

I'd laugh, but I rather suspect you've nailed it dead-on. Especially when in TFA, we read this:

He went on: "I have wondered if the small volumes of nuclear waste from power production should be stored in tropical forests and other habitats in need of a reliable guardian against their destruction by greedy developers".

Same mentality as the whackjobs who proudly proclaim that it's better that all human children should die of some dread disease, than that one mouse should suffer in a laboratory in the name of preventing said childhood disease.

Re:no worries

[xTantrum]

*sigh* after reading an article i wish /. would allow us to filter the remarks so say if i only want to read the informative ones then i can. Its really kind of annoying to finish reading the article looking for some insightful comments and just find jokes from less informed point hogs. /. is news for nerds and it would be nice if we could discuss something intelligent with the same type of comments and responses. With the emminent destruction global warming and global dimming are going to cause this is a nice article that might offer us some hope that life will continue in some ways we may not have expected.

Too bad i'll have to scroll down the list of comments to find any remotely intelligent comments about it. And yes I couldn't give a hoot if you guys mod me as a troll. This *ish needs to be said.