How plants can survive space missions and Chernobyl

The world seems to be going ever more nuclear, but what effect could radiation have on animals and plants? We speak to Prof Neil Willey from UWE to find out.

Published: January 31, 2018 at 12:00 am

The world seems to be going ever more nuclear, but what effect could radiation –from bombs or nuclear meltdowns – have on animals and plants?

This issue, we meet Prof Neil Willey from the University of the West of England, whose work takes a look at the effects of radiation on plants. Not only is he studying tomato and rocket plants grown from seeds exposed to cosmic rays aboard the ISS, but he’s also ventured to Chernobyl to monitor the effects of a nuclear meltdown.

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