Wild boars and snakes haven't suffered from radiation at Fukushima nuclear ...

Wild boars and snakes haven't suffered from radiation at Fukushima nuclear ...
Wild boars and snakes haven't suffered from radiation at Fukushima nuclear ...

The catastrophic Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 caused an estimated 250,000 people to evacuate their homes, but scientists have determined certain wildlife species in the area are thriving, suggesting people could eventually return to the region, according to a new study.

Researchers at Colorado State University, the University of Georgia and Fukushima University's Institute of Environmental Radioactivity have found that multiple generations of wild boar and rat snakes have not suffered from any significant adverse health effects.

Multiple generations of animals have been exposed to radiation levels above the threshold for human occupancy, but have suffered no ill effects. 

That may be due to the fact that cesium-134, one of the major radioactive materials released during the accident, saw its levels decrease by almost 90 percent. 

The researchers looked at biomarkers of DNA damage and stress to determine that the boar and snakes were thriving in the area.   

Multiple generations of wild boar have not suffered from any significant adverse health effects

Multiple generations of rat snakes have also not suffered any ill-effects

Scientists have determined certain wildlife species in the area of the catastrophic Fukushima nuclear disaster are thriving, suggesting people could eventually return to the region, according to a new study

The catastrophic Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 caused an estimated 250,000 people to evacuate their homes

The catastrophic Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 caused an estimated 250,000 people to evacuate their homes

The researchers looked at the wild boars and snakes between 2016 and 2018, or five to seven years after the earthquake and resulting tsunami destroyed the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant

The researchers looked at the wild boars and snakes between 2016 and 2018, or five to seven years after the earthquake and resulting tsunami destroyed the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant

The researchers looked at the wild boars and snakes between 2016 and 2018, or five to seven years after the earthquake and resulting tsunami destroyed the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant, releasing massive amounts of radioactive material in the environment. 

The study's lead author, Dr Kelly Cunningham said the findings could be evidence that people do not need to be as fearful of moving back into the remediated areas, 10 years after the accident.

The researchers looked at biomarkers of DNA damage and stress to determine that the boar and snakes were thriving in the area

The researchers looked at biomarkers of DNA damage and stress to determine that the boar and snakes were thriving in the area

'If the boar were stressed, we would see telomeres shortening,' CSU professor and study co-author Susan Bailey, added in a statement. 

'We didn't see any changes related to radiation dose, and we didn't see it in the snakes either.' 

The researchers looked at wild boar because they are ancestors of pigs, which are 'physiologically' more like humans than mice, according to study co-author and University of Georgia professor James Beasley.

The authors hope the findings will squash many unfounded rumors about the health effects related to radiation in the area

The authors hope the findings will squash many unfounded rumors about the health effects related to radiation in the area

The authors hope the findings will squash many unfounded rumors about the health effects related to radiation in the area.

'With hopes of explaining the situation, many local people took part in research activities, including capturing wild boars,' Hiroko Ishiniwa, a co-author and project assistant professor at Fukushima University, added.

When the research started, the levels of cesium-134, one of the major radioactive materials released during the accident, had decreased by almost 90 percent, due to its short half-life of just over 2 years. 

The experts expected that the boar and snakes, which live in contaminated soil, would have large doses of radiation, but they do not

The experts expected that the boar and snakes, which live in contaminated soil, would have

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