Not just cockroaches: ten creatures that will survive a nuclear war. After the nuclear war, only cockroaches and rats will survive Synthetic materials for household items and decoration
Incredible Facts
A nuclear war can bring destruction and mass death, and therefore it is better for people to learn how to get along with each other.
But if such an event suddenly happened, and the earth was irradiated and plunged into nuclear winter, what would happen to life on our planet?
Would everyone die or would someone survive? Here are some of the most resilient creatures in the world.
1. Amoeba
The amoeba, being perhaps the simplest form of life and perhaps the basis of all subsequent ones, will certainly survive. Amoebas have the ability enter sleep mode, wrapped in a protective layer, and remain in this state for an indefinite period of time.
They are resistant to radiation, and as a single-celled organism, they have no mutation problem during reproduction. Amoebas reproduce on their own very quickly, they can be found all over the world in huge numbers, and they are very small, so the probability of their survival is very high.
2. Cockroaches
The cockroach is perhaps the most well-known of all animals with great potential for survival. Cockroaches are able to withstand a moderate amount of radiation, and have been able to survive being 300 meters from the site where the Hiroshima bomb went off.
Of course, modern weapons are much more powerful, and cockroaches would hardly survive the current nuclear explosion. The "Mythbusters" in their tests demonstrated that 10 percent of cockroaches survived 10,000 rads of radiation. The Hiroshima bomb emitted 10,000 rads, so cockroaches might have survived far from the epicenter of the radiation.
On the contrary, people exposed to 10,000 rads of radiation would instantly suffer from a coma, and very soon this would lead to death. The ability of cockroaches to survive is due to their slow growth rate. Them cells reproduce every 48 hours which reduces the risk of mutations.
3. Scorpions
Everyone who has seen scorpions living in captivity knows that they are capable of withstand ultraviolet radiation. In addition, they have a chance to survive in the event of a nuclear explosion.
Scorpions live on every continent except Antarctica, and they can be frozen and brought back to life, which would help them in the event of a nuclear winter.
They are often found in burrows and crevices, giving them some physical protection from radiation and fallout. Scorpions are very persistent and remained virtually unchanged throughout evolution due to the ideal form.
4 Braconid Wasps
Scientists have found that these wasps can withstand up to 180,000 rads of radiation, making them one of the most resilient animals in the world.
The only problem is whether they can find a prey to lay their eggs, but maybe they will. In addition, braconids can be taught to smell harmful and explosive substances like dogs.
5. Lingulata
Lingulata belongs to the class of brachiopods or animals with valvular shells. The name of these animals is translated from Latin as "tongue" because of the shape of their shells.
There have been five mass extinctions in Earth's history when most of life was wiped out. Lingulata survived all the mass extinctions, perhaps due to the ability to burrow deep into the ground during difficult periods and reappear later.
Despite their survival skills, scientists still don't know how they do it, but they probably also have a good chance of surviving a nuclear war.
6. Fruit flies
Fruit flies or Drosophila can survive at high doses radiation up to 64,000 rad.
Many insects are able to withstand radiation due to slow cell division and very rapid reproduction, as is the case with fruit flies. The ability to reproduce means that they can mutate very quickly with any changes.
The small size of fruit flies also works in their favor, since fewer cells are exposed to radiation and a smaller surface absorbs it.
7. People
Surprisingly, but quite maybe people can survive in a nuclear war. First, the number of nuclear weapons in the world is decreasing. And although existing bombs can wipe everything off the face of the Earth, this is unlikely, since people are scattered all over the world.
Now the bombs are 1000 times more powerful than the one that was dropped on Hiroshima, but this does not mean that 1000 times more people will die.
Given the dispersion of people in different parts of the world and in the presence of anti-nuclear shelters, it is likely that enough people can survive to maintain a viable population. Fortunately, we are endowed with intelligence to find a way out of many situations, which is primarily worth using in order not to drop atomic bombs.
8. Fundulus
Fundulus, no matter how strange its name sounds, is an ordinary fish. Fish usually do not survive as well and any changes in salt composition, water temperature and pollution can lead to their death.
Fundulus is a special fish because it can live in almost any environment. She lives in the most polluted areas of the sea with the strongest chemical spills.
Also this the only fish to have been in space. Several fish were launched into the Skylab orbital station in 1973 in plastic aquarium bags, and tests showed that they were able to swim in space, and their descendants were born the same as before.
The ability to survive is related to their ability to turn genes on and off on demand. The fish can even rearrange some body parts to adapt to the new environment.
9 Tardigrades
Tardigrades or "little water bears" refer to extremophiles. This means that they are able to withstand extreme environmental conditions. They can be boiled, crushed, frozen, they survive in space, without water, they can be revived a decade after they were practically clinically dead.
Many are sure that in the event of a large-scale nuclear war, there will be nothing alive on Earth. However, at least 10 species of living beings have a fairly high chance of surviving. These creatures have been listed by the portal Toptenz.
Amoeba. One of the simplest forms of life may become the basis for the emergence of new species of living beings in the post-nuclear world. The amoeba will definitely survive, experts say. For the winter, it is able to fall into a kind of hibernation, in addition, there are a great many of these microorganisms in the world, they multiply rapidly and are not sensitive to radiation. So they have every chance.
Cockroach. This insect has a very high chance of survival. They are able to survive in the most severe conditions: in particular, they managed to escape within a radius of 300 meters from the epicenter of the nuclear bomb explosion in Hiroshima. The current weapons are much more powerful than this bomb, but compared to humans, cockroaches still have more chances to survive. So, at a radiation dose of 10,000 rads, 10% of cockroaches will survive (this was shown, in particular, by an experiment conducted in the MythBusters program). For a person, this dose is lethal: the irradiated person will die within a few hours or days.
Scorpion. This creature is able to tolerate powerful ultraviolet radiation, therefore, it is possible to cope with radioactive. In addition, they can fall into suspended animation, so they are not afraid of low temperatures.
Lingulata. This marine brachial creature appeared in the Cambrian period and survived many cataclysms, including those that destroyed the dinosaurs. Under unfavorable conditions, lingulata is able to burrow deeply and for a long time into the ground, and then reappear. How they do this is not clear, but since they survived 99% of the species ever existing, it is likely that they will be saved after a nuclear explosion, the author of the rating notes.
Drosophila flies. Fruit flies are also very resistant to radiation, like other insects. Such resistance appeared in them due to the slow division of cells in their organisms. The advantage of fruit flies is that they reproduce extremely quickly, which means that this species is able to quickly adapt to new conditions.
Man. Oddly enough, a person is also able to survive in conditions of radioactive contamination. People live in vast areas, so those who are far from the explosions will survive. In addition, people have special shelters and, if necessary, humanity will probably invent new ways to protect against radiation.
fundulus(Fundulus heteroclitus) is a small fish that can survive anywhere. As a rule, fish are very sensitive to environmental changes, but not this one. They are able to exist in the most polluted areas, in addition, they are the only fish that have been in space and even gave quite viable offspring there. The secret of these fish is the ability to quickly adapt to changing conditions.
tardigrade. This microscopic invertebrate impresses with its endurance. It is able to survive at extremely low and high temperatures, is resistant to radiation, and can be in an atmosphere of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide for quite a long time. In addition, experiments have shown that tardigrades are able to return to life after 10 days in outer space.
Bacterium Deinococcus Radioduran. It is the most resistant to ionizing radiation. "In many ways, it surpasses the practically indestructible tardigrade," the author of the rating noted. This bacterium is able to repair damaged DNA, and quite quickly. Due to this property, the bacterium is used to clean up radioactive waste.
It is no secret that the consequences of a nuclear war can be very deplorable. Massive destruction, the death of millions and even billions of people, thousands of species of animals and plants, a long nuclear winter are just some of the possible consequences. But will any living beings be able to survive an atomic war if something happens? It turns out they can. And there are at least 10 of them.
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Amoebam nuclear war at all
In the event of a cataclysm, amoeba will be able to restore the population of the species as soon as possible
The simplest form of life can survive any global cataclysm. Amoebas can suspend all life processes and spend as much time as they want in a “frozen” state. These unicellular organisms are found in huge numbers in almost all corners of the world, so it is not possible to destroy them all.
Amoebas are resistant to radiation, and they simply cannot have genetic mutations. These organisms can reproduce quickly enough that even if 99% of the amoebas are destroyed, the surviving representatives will repopulate the species in the shortest possible time.
Cockroaches are perhaps the most tenacious insects!
Probably the best-known animal to survive a nuclear war is the cockroach. This insect is able to withstand huge doses of radiation.
This is interesting: Scientists have found that the cockroaches, who were only 300 meters from the epicenter at the time of the nuclear bomb explosion in Hiroshima, remained alive.
Even though modern nuclear bombs are much more powerful than the "Baby" bomb dropped on Hiroshima, the extinction of all cockroaches in the event of a global atomic war is unlikely. MythBusters claims that 10% of the cockroaches in their test survived exposure levels of 10,000 rads. For humans, this dose is considered lethal. Death occurs within a few hours from damage to the central nervous system.
Why is the fatal dose of radiation for humans not the same for cockroaches? The fact is that the growth rate of these insects is extremely low. Cockroach cells divide only once every 48 hours, so the risk of their mutation is minimal.
Scorpions live on every continent except Antarctica.
Scorpions are another animal that can survive the aftermath of even the most devastating nuclear war.
Scorpions tolerate both ultraviolet and nuclear radiation. They can adapt to any living conditions. Nowadays, they are found on all continents except Antarctica. In addition, a scorpion can even survive a complete freeze. In which case, they will simply “wait out” the nuclear winter in a state of suspended animation, and when the temperature on Earth rises again, they will return to life.
Scorpions often hide in burrows or crevices. Such shelters will provide them with some physical protection, such as from fallout and penetrating ionized radiation.
This is interesting: These animals practically do not undergo genetic mutations even during evolution. Therefore, scorpions that lived, for example, 300 million years ago, are practically no different from their modern counterparts.
Braconid wasps
Braconid wasps lay their eggs in the bodies of other insects.
Well, someone, and the braconid, we definitely should be afraid. In 1959, scientists found that some wasps of this species could withstand 1800 Gray radiation exposure. At the same time, a person will go to the next world, having received a dose of 9-10 Grays.
This is interesting: Considering that mutations in DNA during irradiation occur much faster than usual, one can only fantasize what braconid wasps will look like in a world after a nuclear war and in which animals they will have to lay eggs.
Lingulata are the oldest living creatures on the planet.
Lingulata survived 99% of all species that existed on our planet
Lingulates are a class of animals of the type Brachiopods. In fact, these are ordinary mollusks. The name comes from the Latin word lingula, translated as "tongue". It is their shell that looks like a tongue.
There have been five mass extinctions in the history of the Earth (we may be living in the sixth era). Let's list them:
- 440 million years ago, during the era of the Ordovician-Silurian extinction, approximately 60% of the species of marine invertebrates disappeared.
- The Devonian extinction occurred 364 million years ago. During this period, the total number of species of marine life decreased by 2 times.
- During the "great" Permian extinction, approximately 95% of the species of all plants and animals disappeared. It happened 251 million years ago.
- More than half of all species of living organisms went off the path of evolution 199 million years ago, during the era of the Triassic extinction.
- 65.5 million years ago, dinosaurs disappeared from the face of the earth, and with them another 18% of all species. Scientists call this extinction the Cretaceous-Paleogene.
Surprisingly, Lingulata survived all 5 mass extinctions without any problems. It seems that in critical cases, these animals are able to dig deep into the ground and fall into suspended animation. But this is just a guess.
This is interesting: Scientists do not know how Lingulata managed to survive 99% of all species that have ever existed on Earth. Despite this, few doubt that they are able to survive in a global nuclear war.
Drosophila
Drosophila flies tolerate radiation up to 64 thousand rads
Drosophila fruit flies can tolerate high doses of radiation - up to about 64,000 rads. If the cockroaches mentioned above are able to survive a nuclear war thanks to slow cell division, fruit flies have another trump card. They reproduce very quickly and have only 8 chromosomes.
The small size of Drosophila also plays an important role. The fact is that due to the small area of \u200b\u200bthe body, a smaller number of cells are exposed to radiation than in other animals.
People
Love will save the world!
Are you surprised that there are people on this list? But in vain! Despite the fact that humans are not highly resistant to the effects of radiation, the chances of our species surviving a nuclear war are quite high. And there are several reasons for this. First, the number of nuclear weapons in the world is actually decreasing, which means fewer bombs. Secondly, purely technically, it is very difficult to destroy all people without exception, because they are too widely scattered around the world.
This is interesting: Although some modern bombs are 1000 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, this does not mean that 1000 times more people will die if they explode. Much depends on where exactly the deadly projectile will be dropped. For example, if an explosion occurs in a remote taiga, dozens, maximum hundreds of people will die. If in a densely populated city, for example, New York, then the number of victims can be in the millions. Other factors also play an important role, for example, the terrain or the nature of the explosion (ground, air, etc.)
There are thousands of bomb shelters in the world. There is no doubt that in the event of a nuclear apocalypse, many people will take refuge in them. Most likely, there will be enough survivors so that they can repopulate the earth. True, after reaching the surface, these people will be forced to “return” to the Stone Age, and they will have to forget about all the scientific and technological achievements of our civilization for a long time.
Fundulus live where other fish cannot live
You might think that the fundulus is some kind of mythical creature from Hogwarts, but in fact it is an ordinary fish. It is believed that marine life is very picky about environmental conditions. A slight change in water temperature, salinity or chemical composition can provoke their mass death.
However, the fundulus can live anywhere. Scientists find representatives of this species in the most polluted areas of the sea, for example, in oil spills. And this fish managed to visit space! Several were delivered to the Skylab space station in 1973. Scientists have found that weightlessness does not cause them much inconvenience (in the presence of water in a closed container, of course). Fundulus have even bred in space!
Their main secret is the ability to quickly adapt to changing conditions.
It's almost impossible to kill a tardigrade
The tardigrade (or water bear) is a close relative of insects and spiders. The size of adults of representatives of this species does not exceed 1 millimeter. Interestingly, adult water bears differ from individuals that have just hatched from eggs only in size. The number of cells in tardigrades does not increase from the moment of birth. They (cells) simply increase in size.
When tardigrades were discovered in hot springs at great depths, scientists decided to find out what conditions they could endure. In December 2006, an interesting article was published in one of the scientific journals. It talked about the fact that one of the representatives of this species, kept in a museum in a dry environment for more than 120 years, suddenly moved its paw!
This is interesting: Research has helped to find out that tardigrades can withstand really extreme conditions: they can literally be boiled, crushed, frozen, sent into space, kept without water for several decades. All this will not prevent "clinically dead" organisms from coming back to life!
In 1998, Japanese researchers Kunihiro Seki and Mosato Toyoshima placed two species of water bears in tiny containers, which were then immersed in liquid perfluorocarbon. The animals were under an incredible pressure of 600 megapascals for about half an hour. This is about 6 times the pressure at the bottom of the Mariana Trench (the deepest point in the oceans). Amazingly, 82% of tardigrades of one species and 96% of individuals of another species were able to survive. For comparison: all bacteria known to scientists die already at a pressure of 200 megapascals.
But experts were most surprised in 2007, when water bears were sent into low Earth orbit on the Foton-M3 space satellite. Adult tardigrades and their eggs spent a week and a half in a box attached to the outer wall of the satellite. They were not protected from vacuum or deadly ionizing rays, and the ambient temperature was -272°C! Amazingly, 68% of tardigrades successfully endured such an ordeal. The eggs of water bears that had been in outer space were no different from the rest in terms of viability.
Unfortunately, researchers do not know what causes the amazing endurance of tardigrades.
The bacterium Deinococcus Radioduran has an amazing ability: it independently repairs damaged parts of its DNA!
This bacterium is the most radiation-resistant form of life on Earth. It can independently repair damaged sections of DNA, and this process occurs very quickly. Members of the scientific community are currently researching this organism to see if it can be used to treat humans.
The bacterium Deinococcus Radioduran is already used today to eliminate various contaminants. And it can also become such a “time capsule”! If people are threatened with mass extinction, for example, from a nuclear war, genetic scientists will be able to "write" a message into the DNA of Deinococcus Radioduran. Even after 100 generations, it will remain unchanged.
At this stage, scientists can only speculate why the bacterium Deinococcus Radioduran has become so resistant.
Of course, it can be very interesting to speculate about what the world might look like after a nuclear war. But the main task of people is to prevent us from ever testing the corresponding guesses in practice.
2014-11-24
Cockroaches withstand the intensity of ionizing radiation by about an order of magnitude greater than humans. However, the explosion will significantly affect the ability of cockroaches to reproduce, which, obviously, will still lead to death.
The data showed that at an exposure level of about 64 Gy, about 94 percent of young cockroaches would die, and at around 100 Gy, adults would no longer survive. While this is an excellent result compared to humans (for humans, 10 Gy in 10 minutes is fatal), it's clearly nothing, by insect standards; most insects can survive in much worse conditions.
So what are the real living beings that will inherit the earth after a global nuclear war? Closes the rating of fruit flies with a dose of about 640 Gy. A more impressive result is in Khrushchak beetles, which can withstand up to 1000 Gr. Equestrian wasps from 1800 Gr. show even better results. But they all lose to the microbe Deinococcus radiodurans. This bacterium can withstand radiation of about 15,000 Gy at normal temperature and almost 30,000 Gy in cold weather.
The origin of the myth is not entirely clear. Perhaps its spread was facilitated by the anti-nuclear activist movement in the 1960s, which often used cockroaches in their slogans and campaigns. The second hypothesis refers to the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, when rumors began to circulate that the only signs of life remaining between the two cities were cockroaches scurrying among the ruins.
What is the reason for the resistance of cockroaches to ionizing radiation? The reason for the stability in the division of the cells of the body of these insects. Cells are most susceptible to ionizing radiation damage when they are dividing. The typical cockroach only molts once a week, and its cells only divide for about 48 hours during that week, it makes sense that 3/4 of adult cockroaches should be less affected. In humans, the process of division goes on all the time. For the same reason, radiation is effective, at such low doses, in killing cancer cells. Cancer cells divide much faster than most other cells in the human body. The essence of the treatment is to kill cancer cells faster than healthy cells. If successful, all cancer cells die, and enough healthy cells to continue living more or less as before.
Despite the fact that cockroaches cannot survive in a global nuclear war, these small pests are extremely hardy, the proof is their almost 300 million history. Cockroaches can live without a head, do without oxygen for 45 minutes, eat practically inedible things (for example, glue or cellulose). So if you really want to get rid of cockroaches at home, get ready for a long and unsuccessful struggle.
Of course, I recognized the brown-red beauties right away. Yes, it was them that the participants of the very first "Last Hero" ate alive. There is a brief inscription on the plate: "Boar cockroach (Madagascar island)". There are two hundred of them here, behind glass, no less! Entomologist Natalya NOVIKOVA, an employee of the "Zoo of Living Insects" and the Zoological Museum of the Russian Academy of Sciences, lifts the glass lid and turns over the corroded pieces of wood on which these cockroaches sit - a finger long, but two fingers thick! Insects immediately come to life from hibernation, begin to randomly crawl over each other and over the larvae that were hiding under the planks. The sight is not for the faint of heart. Natalya Vasilievna calmly chooses one of the giants, shows closer: "I'm not afraid of these, but ours - in a panic, I won't take it in my hands."
I came here, to the "Zoo of Living Insects", because the domestic cockroaches "got me".
I noticed that they are different: large red-brown, long, black - smaller, rounder and shiny, and there are also very small ones ...
More than 3,600 species of cockroaches are known (from 4 mm to 10 cm), they live in the tropics, says Natalya Vasilievna. - But there are also rare species in the North, in Primorsky Krai. In our apartments there are only two types: Prussian (red) and black, which are accustomed to humans. In nature, they do not live, only in houses. Black people used to come to people, in Russia it was believed that cockroaches in the house are for good luck, for wealth: if you move to a new place, you must take it with you. And in the 18th century, soldiers brought redheads from Germany - they were called "Prussians". But the Germans believe that the Russians brought these cockroaches to them - even earlier, when they came to Germany to work in glass factories.
Our tropical cockroaches will not survive without special care - they need warmth and humidity, otherwise they will freeze or blow them away. And ours have adapted to temperature extremes.
So that's why it's hard to deal with cockroaches - they adapt quickly?
Certainly! Scientists believe that only cockroaches and rats will survive after a nuclear war. They are very ancient - they lived on the young Earth, when there was a different radiation background. And they still live ... In evolution, the one who conquers space wins. If not for man, insects (including cockroaches) could conquer the world - and would reign on the planet. There are still a lot of undiscovered insect species unknown to science.
You yourself have noticed: they are interesting to watch. An elderly woman called. She says: don't think I'm crazy! She lives alone - and began to watch cockroaches as pets. She feeds them, takes care of them (they love rice, apples, compote), plays with them...
Is it true that cockroaches can't live without water?
Without food, they can live for more than a month, they will gnaw a piece of paper, wallpaper, a piece of wood, but they cannot live without water. But they will always find moisture - it accumulates on the pipes. Or they run away to drink at the neighbors - and will return to you again if they like your smells. Our cockroaches are omnivores, and tropical ones have a sweet tooth. For green flying cockroaches from South America, we breed honey and give jam.
In our homes, cockroaches have their own world, they walk from apartment to apartment. I have a girlfriend who is clean: in the new apartment, they removed the wallpaper to the plaster, smeared it with gels, disinfected it, but cockroaches still live with them! ..
And who are the enemies of cockroaches?
A friend has an Asian Shepherd - so she eats cockroaches, and sometimes bees. And my cat won't eat. The husband is joking: at least what use it would be! .. They write that the Madagascar cockroach eats our Prusak. But I didn’t try: you can’t bring cockroaches from the house here, they are all etched there - museum exhibits may die. Therefore, here we have only sticky traps, no chemistry! ..
The real enemies of cockroaches are spiders. These ashy cockroaches from the Canary Islands we breed for spider food. Once a young couple bought a tarantula from us, they also took ashy cockroaches to feed the spider. One cockroach was launched to the spider in the aquarium - and he does not eat it, for a month already! They ask: maybe they became friends? When the hostess climbs to change the water, the cockroach hides from her - not under a snag, but under a spider! Here's a cockroach show...
Not all cockroaches are destroyed - some observe, others breed them. Let's say, to arrange cockroach races ...
It is known that tropical cockroaches run at speeds up to 4 km / h, our Prussians - up to 1 km / h. Black ones are slower, but they get into any cracks.
There are lovers today: Hollywood actor Johnny Depp has been collecting cockroaches for 10 years. But he was forced to part with her when he married Vanessa Paradis. A recent fashion in the West: a medallion with a live cockroach (it is worn in a cone). And in London, a restaurant has opened where you can try dishes from exotic insects: locusts, cockroaches, beetles, centipedes - for every taste. In the tropics, spiders and cockroaches are considered a delicacy by the locals. They are even eaten alive. Fried female spiders with eggs are in special demand - exotic scrambled eggs are obtained!
P.S. I called on the ad "Professional extermination of cockroaches, insects and rodents" (I plucked it off a pole). The old woman answers, calls the amount - 750 rubles for the entire apartment. Promises complete destruction - and a 2-year warranty! "And if they appear?" - "So this, my dear, depends on how you will behave..." - "How do your funds differ from store ones?" - "Duck with us they will be stronger!" - "Isn't it harmful for children?" - "There will be no harm to humans or animals. Here I have a dog myself - and nothing, it lives ... These funds only work on cockroaches!"
It can be seen that the salvation of drowning people is the work of the drowning people themselves. With the help of "folk" means - branded deodorant, gel, traps - we brought out cockroaches. Not completely, individual specimens occasionally crawl out.