Benarkah Kecoa Tahan Terhadap Radiasi Nuklir?

Summary

The video explores the resilience of cockroaches, specifically their ability to survive in extreme conditions, including radiation. While often believed to withstand nuclear explosions, cockroaches can only survive radiation levels far below those of a nuclear blast. Studies reveal that, compared to humans, cockroaches are more resistant to radiation, but they aren't invincible. The video also introduces other highly radiation-resistant organisms, like the bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans and thermococcus gamaturans, which surpass cockroaches in their ability to endure extreme conditions, including radiation.

Takeaways

• 😀 Cockroaches are commonly hated due to their association with dirt and their unexpected appearances in various environments like bathrooms and trash cans.
• 😀 Despite their negative reputation, cockroaches have impressive survival abilities, such as being able to live without food for up to a month.
• 😀 A popular belief suggests that cockroaches can withstand nuclear explosions, a myth that started after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings in 1945.
• 😀 While cockroaches can survive radioactive radiation, they are not immune to all forms of radiation, especially extreme doses like those from a nuclear explosion's immediate impact.
• 😀 In research conducted in 1959, it was found that cockroaches have a relatively high resistance to radiation, though not the most resistant compared to other insects.
• 😀 The lethal dose for cockroaches is much higher than for humans, but it is still far lower than the radiation levels from a nuclear explosion.
• 😀 Other insects, such as ants and mites, were shown to have higher radiation resistance than cockroaches in studies.
• 😀 In an experiment by the MythBusters in 2008, it was found that cockroaches could survive a dose of 1,000 roentgens but started dying at 10,000 roentgens.
• 😀 Cockroaches are more radiation-resistant than humans but still have limits, as they perished when exposed to 100 roentgens of radiation.
• 😀 The most radiation-resistant organism discovered is the bacterium *Deinococcus radiodurans*, which can withstand radiation levels far higher than cockroaches, even repairing its DNA after damage.

Q & A

Why are cockroaches considered one of the most hated insects in the world?

Cockroaches are often associated with dirt and filth, commonly found in places like bathrooms, gutters, and trash cans, which contributes to their negative reputation.

What is one of the most remarkable abilities of cockroaches?

Cockroaches have an extraordinary ability to adapt, such as surviving for a month without food and possibly enduring nuclear radiation.

Is it true that cockroaches can survive a nuclear explosion?

While cockroaches can withstand radiation to some extent, they cannot survive the explosion itself. The explosion's heat and blast wave would destroy them, but they can endure lower levels of radioactive radiation.

What evidence suggests cockroaches' resistance to nuclear radiation?

Studies, such as the 1959 research by Col and Labr, show that cockroaches can survive radiation doses much higher than humans, though they are not completely immune to radiation.

How do cockroaches compare to other insects in terms of radiation resistance?

While cockroaches are more resistant to radiation than humans, they are not the most resistant insects. Other insects like ants and mites have higher resistance levels.

What is the lethal dose (LD50) in radiation, and how does it apply to cockroaches?

LD50 refers to the amount of radiation that can kill 50% of a sample within a set time. For cockroaches, this dose is around 50,000 to 70,000 roentgens, which is significantly higher than humans' lethal dose of approximately 700 roentgens.

Can cockroaches survive high doses of radiation?

In some studies, cockroaches have survived doses up to 10,000 roentgens, but they cannot survive doses as high as 100,000 roentgens, as shown in later experiments.

What was the Midbuster experiment about cockroaches and radiation?

The Midbuster experiment in 2008 tested German cockroaches' ability to withstand radiation. It revealed that while cockroaches could survive doses of up to 1,000 roentgens, higher doses killed some of them, showing that they are not entirely immune to radiation.

What is the most radiation-resistant organism known to date?

The most radiation-resistant organism is the bacterium *Deinococcus radiodurans*, which can survive radiation doses up to 30,000 grays when frozen, far beyond the tolerance of cockroaches or humans.

What other organisms are more resistant to radiation than cockroaches?

Single-celled organisms like *Thermococcus gammaphiles* are even more radiation-resistant than cockroaches, surpassing the resilience of black fungus found in Chernobyl.