Evolving in isolation for 15 generations with lifespans no longer than four years, the dogs in the 1,000-square-mile Exclusion Zone of the 1986 nuclear power plant meltdown are being studied by scientists for the first time. What they learn about the strays’ DNA may transform our knowledge about how genetic mutations relate to diseases, particularly in vertebrates, says Andrea Bonisoli-Alquati, associate professor of biological sciences, who works in Chernobyl but is not involved in this study.
This article was originally published by National Geographic on April 26, 2023.