[ RadSafe ] " Chernobyl wildlife baffles biologists "

[Brennan, Mike (DOH)]

Hi, Frank.

While radiation certainly can case mutations, it is kind of like editing a manuscript with a high powered rifle.  There is exciting research that seems to indicate a wide variety of mechanisms that introduce changes as chromosomes copy are the most common way mutations occur.  

The biggest change is in what constitutes "fit".  When there are many thousands of people in an area "fitness" include things like not running in front of cars, not being seen by people with guns, not eating the poison they put out in your favorite food, etc.  For wildlife, people are a HUGE selection pressure, with a really steep learning curve. 

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On Behalf Of Frank Helk
Sent: Monday, June 11, 2007 5:28 AM
To: Radsafe (E-mail)
Subject: RE: [ RadSafe ] " Chernobyl wildlife baffles biologists "

Hello,

On Fri, 8 Jun 2007 09:33:37 -0700, Brennan, Mike  \(DOH\) wrote:

>wildlife can co-exist with the contamination that keeps people away better than it can co-exist with people.

I think you've perfectly got the point. 

A thought of mine, by the way: Evolution is driven by two prime forces:  "Mutation" and "Selection of the fittest".  A higher mutation rate leads to a faster adaption of the species (or evolution of new species). Mutation means "Change", not "Damage" (even while most mutations are indeed damage to the subject, some of them are positive, and evolution works on that ....). So radiation is not bad in any case ....

-FH



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