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The Ancient World
- Building Societies – What Does it Take? – Lesson
- Building Societies – What Does it Take? – Quiz
- Athens, Rome, and Jerusalem: Where Western Civilization Began – Lesson
- Athens, Rome, and Jerusalem: Where Western Civilization Began – Quiz
- Persia: Where Fake News Began? – Lesson
- Persia: Where Fake News Began? – Quiz
- Tell Brak: The World’s Most Ancient City? – Lesson
- The Key to Ancient Egypt: Rosetta Stone 200 Years On – Lesson
- The Key to Ancient Egypt: Rosetta Stone 200 Years On – Quiz
- Ancient Rock Art Suggests Humans Occupied Earth 13,000 Years Ago – Lesson
- Ancient Rock Art Suggests Humans Occupied Earth 13,000 Years Ago – Quiz
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World History
- Slavery: An Ancient Evil That Still Exists Today – Lesson
- A Tale Of Two Sacrifices – Part I – Lesson
- A Tale Of Two Sacrifices – Part II – Lesson
- The Story Behind the Israel-Palestine Conflict – Lesson
- Churchill Vs. Hitler: Standing Up for Europe – Lesson
- War, Peace, and School Bullies – Lesson
- Survey Says: Millennials and Gen Z Just Don’t Know the Holocaust – Lesson
- V-J Day: Celebrating 75 Years Since Japan’s Surrender – Lesson
- A History of Ukraine: Battleground for Empires – Part 1 – Lesson
- A History of Ukraine: Battleground for Empires – Part 1 – Quiz
- A History of Ukraine: Battleground for Empires – Part 2 – Lesson
- A History of Ukraine: Battleground for Empires – Part 2 – Quiz
- History of the Holy Land – Quiz
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U.S. Allies and Rivals
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Around the Globe Today
- Chinese Uighurs – What Is Going On? – Lesson
- A New Republic – Barbados Removes the Queen as the Head of State – Lesson
- A New Republic – Barbados Removes the Queen as the Head of State – Quiz
- Venice Makes a New Rule for Tourists – Will Other Cities Follow? – Lesson
- Venice Makes a New Rule for Tourists – Will Other Cities Follow? – Quiz
- Professor Lives Underwater for 100 Days – Lesson
- Professor Lives Underwater for 100 Days – Quiz
- Setenil de las Bodegas – The Spanish Town Built Under a Rock – Lesson
- Setenil de las Bodegas – The Spanish Town Built Under a Rock – Quiz
- Hat of Napoleon Bonaparte Sells for Over $2 Million at Auction – Lesson
- Hat of Napoleon Bonaparte Sells for Over $2 Million at Auction – Quiz
- The UK Plans to Measure Kids’ Bellies to Monitor Their Health – Lesson
- The UK Plans to Measure Kids’ Bellies to Monitor Their Health – Quiz
- Radioactive Wolves in Chernobyl – Lesson
- Radioactive Wolves in Chernobyl – Quiz
- Slovakian Aircar Carries First Passenger – Lesson
- Slovakian Aircar Carries First Passenger – Quiz
- Japan’s Floating City – The Future of Urban Planning? – Lesson
- Japan’s Floating City – The Future of Urban Planning? – Quiz
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Politics and Economics Around the Globe
Radioactive Wolves in Chernobyl – Lesson
The animals are developing cancer-resistant genes.
In April 1986, the world’s greatest nuclear disaster began in Chernobyl when the local nuclear power plant’s No. 4 reactor exploded. There are only two nuclear disasters that reached this level of destruction, the second being in Fukushima, Japan, in 2011. The explosion led to costly damages, radioactive areas, and thousands of injured and deceased victims. The effect of the radiation continues to cause those exposed to become ill. Strangely, the wolves in that part of what is now northern Ukraine seem to be unphased by the poisonous air and are even building immunity against it.
Radioactive Wolves
After the area, over 1,040 square miles, was deemed unsafe due to the radiation in the air, approximately 200,000 people were evacuated. The animals, however, were left behind. Many scientists felt that they would eventually die off from radioactive poisoning, but that did not happen. Nearly 40 years later, the local wildlife has thrived and reclaimed the land as their own.
The wolfpacks seem to flourish more now than before they were forced to breathe carcinogenic fumes. They are doing so well that it piqued the interest of scientists who study the area. They wonder if the wolves were somehow developing cancer-resistant genes or if they are immune to the effects of radiation poisoning.
Attempting to determine how the wolves were surviving, evolutionary biologist and ecotoxicologist at Princeton University Cara Love began studying the animals’ behavior. She, among others, tested blood samples from the wolves, placed GPS collars on them to track how much time they spent in the toxic areas, and used radiation dosimeters to measure the level of radiation in the areas where the wolves spent time.
What Love Learned
Love and her team found that the wolves were exposed to 11.28 milligrams of radiation daily. That is more than six times the level that humans can safely handle. They also learned that the animals are equipped with cancer-resistant genomes. Their immune systems look similar to that of a human with cancer undergoing radiation therapy. The wolves’ genetic makeup prevented them from becoming ill and gave valuable insight to scientists and doctors who are working to find ways to fight cancer in humans.
It is likely that the wolves that were present in 1986 when the nuclear explosion occurred began mutating to fight against the harmful effects of radiation. Over time, the mutation was passed down to future generations of wolves. Today, the wolves are born with cancer-fighting immune systems and are living their best lives in the Ukrainian wilderness.
What About the Other Animals?
Though some animals in Chernobyl’s Exclusion Zone (CZE) are negatively affected by the radioactive air, the human-free vicinity is flourishing with happy and healthy wildlife. Wolves, bison, lynx, deer, and other creatures are living prosperous lives without the interruption of human activity.