Radioactive Wild Boars in Europe Linked to Nuclear Weapons Testing
Researchers have discovered that the radioactivity found in wild boars in Southern Germany is not solely due to the Chernobyl disaster, but also a result of nuclear weapons testing. The boars' unique diet, which includes deer truffles, acts as a repository for cesium-137, a radioactive isotope produced by nuclear fission. The study found that 10% to 68% of the boars' contamination was attributed to nuclear weapons testing. While the levels of cesium-137 have generally decreased across Europe, the boars' diet has allowed them to maintain higher levels of radioactivity. However, there is no significant risk to human health as long as the contaminated boars are not consumed.