A RADIATION-absorbing fungus found at the destroyed Chernobyl nuclear reactor has been shown to absorb harmful cosmic rays on the International Space Station, and could potentially be used to protect future Mars colonies. Exposure to cosmic rays poses a major health risk to astronauts leaving Earth's protective atmosphere. Shields can be made out of stainless steel and other materials, but must be launched from Earth, which is hard and costly. Xavier Gomez and Graham Shunk saw research showing that a fungus called Cfadosporium sphaerospermum found in the ruined Chernobyl nuclear reactor could absorb high levels of radiation, and wondered if it could function as a space radiation shield.
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