The Miracle Dogs of Chernobyl Have Evolved Into Something New, Studies Show

Four decades after the world’s worst nuclear disaster, something weird—but wonderful—is happening inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone: the dogs that roam the radioactive area are rapidly evolving.

And we don’t exactly know why.

Watch Pop Mech editors Andrew Daniels and John Gilpatrick explore the strange case of the Chernobyl dogs, who descend from those canines abandoned during the April 26, 1986 evacuation. Despite dealing with extremely cold temperatures, food scarcity, and long-term radiation exposure, the Chernobyl dogs aren’t just surviving—they’re thriving. And recent studies suggest they’re adapting in ways that challenge what we thought we knew about survival.

Andrew and John investigate how the dogs that live closest to the reactor have developed genetic traits distinct from other dogs in nearby regions. But the changes don’t seem to come from radiation damage; instead, scientists say the animals are adapting through natural selection and transparent toughness passed down across generations.

Could the Chernobyl dogs help humans adapt to harsh environments, like, say, the surface of Mars or deep space? Watch the full episode above, and find more installments of the Astounding Pop Mech Show on PopularMechanics.com.

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