Will Roaches Really Survive Forever?

Slate reports on the popular belief that cockroaches will survive a nuclear bomb. There is some scientific basis for this.

Cockroaches are more resistant to radiation than humans and nearly all other noninsect animals. This is because they are relatively simple organisms with fewer genes that might develop mutations. Roach cells also divide more slowly than human cells, which gives them more time to fix problems caused by radiation, such as broken strands of DNA. Whereas a person will certainly die from a radiation dose of 1,000 rads, cockroaches can withstand more than 10 times that amount.

Thanks to Digg.