Cockroaches or Scorpions surviving a Nuclear Explosion?

[tristanh]

People often say that cockroaches or scorpions (one or the other) are the only living creatures that can survive a Nuclear Explosion. Is this a myth or a fact?

[andy hughes]

The nature of evolution is survival - species adapt in order to change with their environment. Because species such as cockroaches and scorpions have remained unchanged for millions of years, the theory is that they have managed to survive all climate and environment changes in that time, without the need toevlove any further - they are in effect perfect survivalists. It is that idea that leads people to conclude that they would continue to survive when everything about the current environment is altered, although it is of course only a theory.

[Hamish]

I have heard this said about Scorpions on a TV documentary. It was explained buy the simple make up of the scorpion which is not as sensative to radiation as the human body. There is no way a scorpion would survive a direct impact though(!) On this documentay they demonstarted a scorpion being frozen in a block of ice and then defrosted in a microwave (Please don't try this!). Tough guys if you ask me!