Chernobyl’s Radiation Turned Its Local Frogs Black

Not all genetic mutations are harmful!

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Extremes of the colour gradient of the Eastern tree frog (Hyla orientalis). On the left, a specimen captured in Chernobyl inside the high contamination zone; on the right, a specimen captured outside the Exclusion Zone. (Credit: Germán Orizaola/Pablo Burraco, CC BY SA / doi:10.1111/eva.13476)

It’s not often that you can watch evolution in action right in front of your eyes, but if you ever manage to visit the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone — which is a most unusual holiday plan — then you may notice its normally green frogs are now black. As…