NASA plans to return to the moon in 2024 and possibly build a permanent human presence there by the end of the decade. There are still many logistical hurdles to overcome, but there is an even bigger, more human problem: space wants to kill you.
The damage to space radiation poses a real danger to the health of astronauts. If people spend a long time in space and want to go to planets like Mars or beyond, we have to protect ourselves from it. The magnetic field and Earth's atmosphere protect us from radiation while we're down here, but as we step out into the cosmos, our security blanket disappears. Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) receive more than 20 times the normal amount of radiation that Earthlings receive in a year.
To protect astronauts, scientists have studied an unusually robust organism that was discovered in one of the most radioactive places in the world: Chernobyl.
The explosion that In 1986, a hole was blasted into the No. 4 reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant was devastating. In some parts of the plant, the radiation increased so much that exposure would kill a person in about 60 seconds. However, several types of fungi were discovered in the reactor. And they thrive, "feed" to the extreme radiation values.
A new study, which has not yet been peer reviewed, was published in the bioRxiv pre-print repository on July 17 and is investigating one of these species, Cladosporium sphaerospermum. It suggests that the mushrooms could be used as a self-healing, self-replicating shield to protect astronauts in space. Scientific publication New Scientist reported the results on July 24.
The researchers placed the mushrooms on board the ISS for 30 days and analyzed their ability to block radiation. Like C. sphaerospermum, fungi contain a pigment called melanin, which can absorb radiation and convert it into energy.
The researchers set up a petri dish with two sides. On the one hand a control that contains no fungi, on the other C. sphaerospermum. There was a radiation detector under the petri dish. For 30 days, the detectors measured the radiation every 110 seconds. The proof-of-concept study showed that the mushrooms could adapt to weightlessness and live off radiation. It was able to block part of the incident radiation and reduce the levels by almost 2%.
One of the main advantages, the researchers write, is that the mushrooms self-replicate from microscopic amounts. You would only have to send a small amount into orbit, give it some nutrients and have it replicated to form biological radiation protection. With some tweaking, the mushrooms could be used to shield bases on the moon or Mars.
It takes a long time to put boots on the red planet, but now the foundation stone is laid. July was a big month for exploring Mars. A A fleet of robot researchers is currently on the way to the planet - and NASA's Perseverance Rover is expected to follow on July 30th. If you want to see this start, We have a great guide ready for your eyeballs. And do not forget - The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule will return to Earth from the ISS on August 2nd.
