Chernobyl Birds Have Adapted to Radiation

But this isn’t an example of evolution.

High doses of radiation can be lethal, but a new study hints that organisms can adapt to low levels of radiation. An international group of researchers has found that birds living near Chernobyl in Ukraine have apparently become more resistant to radiation.

Chernobyl was the site of a catastrophic 1986 nuclear accident. Previous studies indicated the Chernobyl birds have had better survival rates than birds living near the Fukushima, Japan reactor which experienced a meltdown in 2011. The researchers concluded the reason for this was that the birds in the Chernobyl region have had more time to adapt to radiation.

As reported in Functional Ecology, the scientists set out to test this theory. They took feathers and blood samples from 13 species of birds living in both low- and high-radiation areas near the Ukrainian reactor. They discovered that birds in high-radiation areas had much higher levels of glutathione in their blood. Glutathione is an antioxidant which aids animals in eliminating damaging, highly reactive molecules which are created when radiation touches biological tissues.

The higher glutathione levels were also linked to less genetic damage in the cells of the birds.  "In other words," the researchers write, "these findings indicate that chronic exposure to radiation has favored adaptation of birds to the damaging effects of radiation."

It is interesting that this story consistently uses the words “adapt” and “adaptation” in referring to changes in the bird population rather than the words “evolve” and “evolution.” Only the writer and researchers know if this was a conscious decision and if they do indeed see a difference between “adapting” and “evolving.” Nevertheless, I believe creationists would approve the choice of words.

What this story seems to be describing is an example of “survival of the fittest” or natural selection. The birds with higher levels of glutathione had a better chance of surviving radiation (at low levels) than did birds with lower levels of glutathione. Thus, over time, these more fortunate birds began to dominate while the less fortunate ones disappeared from the scene. It is important to emphasize that creationists, just as much as evolutionists, agree with the idea of natural selection. Indeed, it was a creationist chemist/zoologist named Edward Blyth who first proposed the concept some 25 years before Darwin “stole” the idea.

The difference between how creationists and evolutionists view natural selection is in how they view genetics. The birds in our story already had the genetic ability to produce glutathione, some more than others. Nothing new had evolved within their genomes to allow for this. However, a believer in Darwinism might claim that birds evolved the ability to produce glutathione, an ability which they never had before, but this would be a dubious claim. No organism can produce a new trait if its genes do not allow for it.

The ability to adapt is an important gift which the Creator has given to animals and humans alike. Whether we have to reach into our genes or just reach into our minds, being able to adapt to new situations helps us to survive. However, the biggest adaptation we need to make is a spiritual one -- throwing off our “old self” or our sinful personality (“For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves to sin—” (Romans 6:6).  By believing that Jesus was crucified for our sins, we will adapt by the power of the Holy Spirit to begin leading a new life. (“just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4). And it will be a new life full of the anticipation of eternal happiness in heaven.

Reference: Arielle Duhaime-Ross, “Birds near Chernobyl have adapted to low-level radiation,” The Verge

(Photo of the Chernobyl power plant from Wikipedia, by Jason Minshull)

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QUESTION OF THE DAY

Do women or men face a higher risk of Alzheimer’s?

Women face a 1 in 6 chance of developing Alzheimer’s at age 65, men a 1 in 11 chance. At age 85 women have a 1 in 5 chance and men a 1 in 8 chance. This information is from the latest annual report by the Alzheimer’s Association.

Source: (Racine) Journal Times (4/9/14)

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