User:Gabrobin/sandbox

Radiotrophic fungi are fungi that can use radiation as an energy source to stimulate growth. Radiotrophic fungi can be found in extreme environments due to their ability to survive and grow in the presence of radiation. They have been found in the aftermath of a nuclear accident and in outer space. Most radiotrophic fungi use melanin to accomplish this. This process of using radiation and melanin for energy is called radiosynthesis. Radiosynthesis is thought to be a similar process to the anaerobic pathway that occurs when oxygen is not present. However, it is not known if multi-step processes such as photosynthesis or chemosynthesis are used in radiosynthesis.