Chernobyl’s Dogs May Be Evolving, but Scientists Don’t Know Why

The explanation that’s perhaps most tantalizing to a sci-fi author is that the persistent radiation at the nuclear site has caused mutations to accumulate in the dogs’ genomes. But there are other ways a population’s genetics can change over time, such as random drift or natural selection. A recent study published in the scientific journal Genes revisited these pups, searching for genetic patterns pointing to one of these processes.

The researchers compared the DNA from dogs living in the area right around the nuclear plant with genetic material from dogs living in the city of Chernobyl, about 16 kilometers away. They also compared these canines to other global dog populations. The contrast alone was extreme.