Despite the common belief that cockroaches are capable of surviving a nuclear disaster, they are actually more resilient than humans, but they die when exposed to a dose of only 6,400 rads , which is about 6 to 15 times more than a human's capacity, and this is not a large percentage compared to the capabilities of some other insects.
The fruit fly can tolerate approximately 64,000 rads .
While it is surpassed by the parasitic wasp , which can withstand a dose of up to 180,000 rads .
This means that the cockroach is relatively weak among insects, and not the superhero it is portrayed to be.
In 2012, the American "Myth Debunkers" program tested this theory practically. Cockroaches lived longer than humans when exposed to radiation, but eventually they all died at high doses.
Professor Mark Elgar of the School of Biological Sciences in Melbourne points out that the experiment was incomplete because it did not account for the cockroaches' ability to lay healthy eggs after exposure to radiation . He said,
"There is some evidence that cockroaches appear to be resistant to gamma rays, but other insects are more resistant, such as some types of ants that burrow their nests deep into the ground."
The most radiation-resistant organism of all is the bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans , known as "Conan ," which can survive doses up to 100,000 rads . This bacterium was discovered in meat exposed to radiation for sterilization, yet it remained alive.
This level is far beyond the capabilities of cockroaches.
Professor Ruff from the School of Biological Sciences believes that the problem lies not only in the direct radiation, but also in the cascading effect on the entire ecosystem .
He says:"The evidence from the Chernobyl disaster shows that all living things — from insects and bacteria in the soil to fungi, birds and mammals — suffer consequences in proportion to the level of radioactive contamination."
As pollution spreads, serious effects emerge, including:
Decreased abundance and biodiversity,
High rate of gene mutations,
Increased tumors and malformations,
Decreasing life expectancy
Fertility declined in all organisms.
