00:00Back in 1986, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant melted down, resulting in the largest
00:09nuclear disaster in human history. The surrounding area was evacuated, and lingering radiation will
00:15leave Pripyat uninhabitable for the next 20,000 years. However, recently, scientists studying
00:20the effects of radiation on the myriad animal species there noticed something interesting.
00:24Some microscopic worms that reside there show no signs of radiation. Other tests on creatures in
00:30the area have revealed clear signs of radiation damage, and the number of invertebrates in general
00:35has decreased as well. So researchers collected hundreds of nematodes from all over the Chernobyl
00:40exclusion zone and tested them, their offspring, and looked at the genetic sequencing of both,
00:45finding that despite living in a high-radiation environment, there was not only no greater rate
00:49of mutation amongst those worms, but they also didn't show signs of DNA damage. What's more,
00:54the specific strain of worms, Otypulae, didn't seem to pass on any markers of radiation exposure
00:59to their offspring, with the study concluding that they must be more tolerant to radiation
01:04for some reason, though they still don't know why. The researchers say this find could be monumental
01:09and could lead to new medicines to help combat the horrific effects of radiation exposure.
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