Thursday, February 10, 2011
Chernobyl Fallout Linked to Smaller Brains in Birds
From University of South Carolina
Twenty-five years after the Chernobyl disaster, low-doses of radiation have resulted in smaller brains in birds.
The effect has hampered normal brain development, shown by the birds’ brain size. Smaller brain sizes are believed to be linked to reduced cognitive ability, says~ Dr. Timothy Mousseau, a USC biology science professor who, along with his collaborator, Anders Moller of the University of Paris-Sud in France, led the team of researchers from the United States, Italy, Norway, France and Ukraine.
“This suggests that many of the birds with smaller brains are not surviving to the next year, perhaps related to decreased cognitive abilities.” “Mousseau said not only are their brains smaller, but it seems they are not as capable at dealing with their environment as evidenced by their lower rates of survival”.
Read the full article here.
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