A new open-access scientific paper has been published in the Journal of Environmental Radioactivity (Elsevier, 2026), titled “The Unnatural Selection: Plant Evolution and Adaptation in the Chernobyl and Fukushima Exclusion Zones.”
The study provides a comprehensive review of how chronic exposure to ionizing radiation acts as a powerful selective pressure, driving adaptive responses and evolutionary processes in plants within the exclusion zones of Chernobyl and Fukushima.
The paper highlights how these contaminated environments have evolved into unique natural laboratories, allowing scientists to observe real-time adaptation and resilience in ecosystems subjected to long-term radiation stress.
This work was led by Dr. Gian Marco Ludovici (Principal Investigator, University of Rome Tor Vergata), with contributions from Paola Amelia Tassi, Alba Iannotti, Colomba Russo, Samuele Maria Giorgio, and Prof. Andrea Malizia.
📘 Read the full open-access article here:
👉 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0265931X25002371
🎓 To learn more and discuss these findings, join us at the SICC Series – CBRNe Conference 2026 (4th edition), taking place in Rome from 28 September to 3 October 2026:
👉 https://www.sicc-series.com/
Special thanks go to Dr. Gian Marco Ludovici for leading this outstanding research effort, and to all co-authors for their contributions to advancing our understanding of environmental radiobiology and CBRNe resilience.
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