Fukushima Pig-Boar Hybrids Reveal Rapid Genetic Adaptation After Nuclear Disaster
Scientists have uncovered striking evidence of rapid genetic adaptation in pig-boar hybrids living in the Fukushima exclusion zone, more than a decade after the 2011 nuclear disaster. The hybrid animals, which emerged as domestic pigs escaped farms and interbred with wild boars, appear to be evolving on a genetic fast track shaped by the unique pressures of living in a radiation-contaminated landscape.
The research, published in Phys.org, reveals that the hybridization process has introduced a broader pool of genetic diversity, potentially giving these animals an accelerated capacity to adapt to environmental stressors including radiation exposure. The findings contribute to a growing body of research on wildlife in the Fukushima zone and have broader implications for understanding how species respond genetically to extreme environmental disruptions, including nuclear contamination.
The research, published in Phys.org, reveals that the hybridization process has introduced a broader pool of genetic diversity, potentially giving these animals an accelerated capacity to adapt to environmental stressors including radiation exposure. The findings contribute to a growing body of research on wildlife in the Fukushima zone and have broader implications for understanding how species respond genetically to extreme environmental disruptions, including nuclear contamination.