Fukushima 'caused mutant butterflies' in Japan

Telegraph ^ | 08/14/12

[TigerLikesRooster]

Fukushima 'caused mutant butterflies' in Japan

Genetic mutations have been found in three generations of butterflies from near Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, scientists said on Tuesday, raising fears radiation could affect other species.

10:11AM BST 14 Aug 2012

Around 12 per cent of pale grass blue butterflies that were exposed to nuclear fallout as larvae immediately after the tsunami-sparked disaster had abnormalities, including smaller wings and damaged eyes, researchers said.

The insects were mated in a laboratory well outside the fallout zone and 18 per cent of their offspring displayed similar problems, said Joji Otaki, associate professor at Ryukyu University in Okinawa, southwestern Japan.

That figure rose to 34 per cent in the third generation of butterflies, he said, even though one parent from each coupling was from an unaffected population.

The researchers also collected another 240 butterflies in Fukushima in September last year, six months after the disaster. Abnormalities were recorded in 52 per cent, which was "a dominantly high ratio", Otaki told AFP.

[TigerLikesRooster]

On the bright side, it is a great new to entomologists who would be happy to have a new research material.

[TigerLikesRooster]

P!

[Berlin_Freeper]

VOICE PIECE FOR SOPRANO & WISH TREE

[babble-on]

As long as there are no flying turtles I am cool with this.

[Kolath]

Mothra!!!!

[MotorCityBuck]

In before Mothra picts! :0

[SampleMan]

[bgill]

But Otaki warned it was too soon to jump to conclusions, saying his team's results on the Fukushima butterflies could not be directly applied to other species, including humans.

You knew the "but butterflies aren't human" song and dance was coming.

[skinkinthegrass]

"As long as there are no flying turtles I am cool with this."LOL!...where's that, THEM!...The Deadly Mantis pictures, I was looking for?

[skinkinthegrass]

thxs, for the ping. :-D

[Doogle]

[TigerLikesRooster]

LOL.

[Kirkwood]

Yes, but were they teenage mutant ninja butterflies?

[CapnJack]

Just think of how many new Godzilla like movies will come from this disaster.

The directors will have a field day with every conceivable creature from Monster Island.

[TigerLikesRooster]

It may not be a Scifi fiction but a documentary. Filmed in Japan, recording the movement of Godzilla, Mothra, mutant Japanese, and whatever new species which turn up.

[khelus]

<

[skinkinthegrass]

LOL! ....Thanks, for the help! ;-)

[MARTIAL MONK]

It just fried them little butterfly balls.

[SandRat]

Mothra!!!

[jpsb]