Can Cockroaches Survive a Nuclear Blast?
WouterThe initial blast from a nuclear blast would render cockroaches harmless, but after that, their tiny bodies would be damaged by the blast. Cockroaches would survive the initial blast as much as anything else that was in the blast radius, but they would still die in the radiation-filled aftermath. Cockroaches would be less susceptible to ionizing radiation because their bodies are simple and their cells divide much less often than those of humans. Moreover, cockroaches only molt once a week.
However, their remarkable abilities have led scientists to develop rescue robots that could find survivors of natural and man-made disasters. But if roaches could survive a nuclear blast, they wouldn’t inherit the earth. They would die from exposure to radiation, a lack of food and water, and their inability to reproduce.
Nevertheless, the myth about cockroaches being immune to radiation proved to be unfounded when Mythbusters exposed three species of insects to radiation doses up to 10 times higher than human beings. Flour beetles, on the other hand, were able to survive the blasts.
The most popular misconception about cockroaches and nuclear bombs is that they will survive nuclear explosions. This theory has no foundation whatsoever, as cockroaches are able to lay thousands of eggs and live in large numbers. Unlike other household insects, cockroaches are extremely difficult to kill with chemicals.
