Will Cockroaches Survive a Nuclear Blast?

Cockroaches are not immune to nuclear fallout, but they do fare better than humans in radiation situations. The Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs released about 1,000 rads of radiation, which kills humans in about 10 minutes. Cockroaches, on the other hand, have much slower cell cycles, and their bodies are not as complex. Thus, they could handle the radiation without too much damage.

In a nuclear blast, cockroaches would have a harder time finding food. They feed on the decaying carcasses of humans and animals. This means that a nuclear war between the United States and Russia would kill off much of the world’s plant and animal life. Cockroaches would most likely not survive the nuclear holocaust despite their exceptional abilities.

In addition to having a low radiation tolerance, cockroaches also have a slow cell-cycle, which allows them to survive radiation exposure longer than humans. Because of this, they’re likely to survive a nuclear blast if they’re on the ground. However, if they have wings, they may be killed in a nuclear blast.

The Mythbusters have tested the effect of radiation on cockroaches. Their results were inconsistent and inaccurate. Some roaches were affected by radiation at 1,000 rads, but half remained healthy. Some roaches even managed to survive a dose of 100,000 rads. However, non-animal organisms like bacteria and protozoa do better with nuclear fallout.

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