Cockroaches are very hardy insects. It is known that, among other things, they are able to withstand bursts of ionizing radiation that would kill a human being.
The explanations of this observed resistance I've seen include cell division not being that fast in cockroaches, and the relative simplicity of these insects compared to other organisms. I know that microbes are able to resist radiation by having "tough" DNA (more G-C base pairs) and ready repair systems. Do cockroaches also have mechanisms like these, or is it really as simple as them being, well, "simple"?
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