The animals will head to the International Space Station (ISS) next week as part of SpaceX’s 22nd cargo resupply mission. SpaceX is set to launch microscopic creatures aboard its Falcon 9 rocket on June 3, 1:29 p.m. EDT from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Tardigrades are tiny, measuring just 0.04 inches (1 millimeter) long and are popularly nicknamed “water bears” due to their bear-like appearance when viewed through a microscope. – they are able to survive intense radiation; a pressure six times that found in the deepest parts of the ocean; and the vacuum of space, these microscopic animals are tougher much more than their cute name. In fact, the Israeli Beresheet spacecraft carrying thousands of Tardigrades was dried on board when it crashed to the moon during a failed landing attempt on April 11, 2019. If any life form can survive the crash, it is probably these creatures, especially since they are in a dehydrated state called “tun”, from which they can be resuscitated. . It is these abilities that have made the tardigrade a useful research organism on the ISS, where astronauts hope to identify the specific genes responsible for its remarkable feats of adaptation. with harsh environments. This should give us some important insights into the health effects of long-term space travel. “Some of the conditions in which water bears can survive include being dry, freezing and being heated beyond the boiling point of water. They can survive with thousands of times more radiation than we do, and they can can survive for days or weeks with little or no oxygen,” Thomas Boothby, assistant professor of molecular biology at the University of Wyoming and principal investigator of the experiment, said in a press conference. “They have been shown to be able to survive and reproduce during spaceflight, and can even survive long periods of exposure to the vacuum of outer space.” For Boothby’s study, astronauts will examine the molecular biology of the water bears to look for signs of any immediate and long-term adaptations to life in low Earth orbit. – objects that expose astronauts to the rigors of zero gravity and increased radiation exposure. He hopes that the information gathered from the organisms, prepared to arrive at the ISS in a semi-frozen state before being thawed, will provide important insights into future therapies that could protect health of astronauts during extended space missions. A separate and parallel experiment also carried out by the resupply mission will bring 128 baby bobtail squid (Euprymna scolopes) to the station. The 0.12-inch (3 mm) long squid have a special light-producing organ inside their body, where bioluminescent bacteria provide the squid with light. The researchers of this experiment hope to investigate the symbiotic relationship between bacteria and squid to see how beneficial bacteria interact with animal tissue in space. “Animals, including humans, rely on our bacteria to maintain a healthy digestive and immune system.” Jamie Foster, a microbiologist at the University of Florida and principal investigator of the Microgravity Understanding for Microbial Interactions (UMAMI) experiment. “We don’t fully understand how space changes these beneficial interactions.” The squids are born without bacteria, which they then get from the surrounding ocean, so the researchers are planning to add bacteria to the squid as soon as they are defrosted at the ISS. This way, the researchers could observe the squid as they established a symbiosis with the bacteria. By studying the molecules produced in this process, the researchers will be able to determine which genes the squid used to achieve the feat in space. Knowing this could help people better take care of the microorganisms in their immune systems and guts during long space voyages. Although the journey into space has been a stressful one, the tardigrades have suffered worse at least, having recently survived being shot from a high-speed gun. In that study, the researchers found that the tardigrade can survive tremors generated at speeds of about 3,000 feet per second (900 meters per second).

Water Bear – Tiny tardigrada that lives in the water. Photo: Earth Life According to CNN (USA), the SpaceX ship will carry necessities, scientific research experiments and even solar panels to the ISS station. In particular, 5,000 water bears and 128 small squids will also be sent to space this time. Both animals will participate in the experiments here. The scientists wanted to find out how water bears can tolerate the environment on the space station and whether microgravity affects the symbiotic relationship between squid and probiotics. Water bear in space Water bears look like little bears under a microscope. Photo: CNN According to Thomas Boothby, Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology at the University of Wyoming, water bears are known to be able to survive and thrive in the most extreme environments. They are a group of microorganisms that can survive under extreme pressure. “Water bears have the ability to survive drying, freezing and heating past boiling point. They can withstand radiation levels thousands of times higher than humans and can survive days or weeks without oxygen,” said Boothby. He said this is not the first time water bears have been sent into space. They have been shown to survive and reproduce in spaceflight, and can even survive long periods of exposure to the vacuum of space. “Scientists were able to sequence the genome of the water bear, thereby testing how the microorganism is affected by different environmental conditions based on their gene expression,” he said. more. Boothby’s experiment is also aimed at understanding how water bears are adapted to life in low Earth orbit. This could help to better understand the stressors humans face in the universe. The water bear will arrive at the ISS in a frozen state, then be defrosted, revived and grown in a special system. The results of the study will allow scientists to track which genes help water bears survive. For example, if researchers determine that water bears are making lots of antioxidants to help cope with high radiation levels, that means astronauts need to eat a diet rich in these nutrients. more anti-oxidant. “Our hope is that this knowledge will pave the way to the development of countermeasures or therapies to help protect astronauts during extended space missions,” said Boothby. Glowing squid ink Young long-tailed squid are swimming in sea water. Photo: CNN In addition, the researchers will also conduct the UMAMI experiment – a study that investigates microgravity on interactions between animals and microorganisms. Jamie Foster, a professor in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Science at the University of Florida and the lead researcher on the experiment, said the study aimed to understand how healthy bacteria interact with animal tissue in space. . “Animals, including humans, rely on the microbiome to maintain a healthy gut and immune system,” Ms Foster said. “But we still don’t fully understand how the universe changes those beneficial interactions. The UMAMI experiment using glow-in-the-dark dumpling squid will shed light on these important issues in human health. “. The stomach squid is only about 3mm long, making it the perfect model to study for two reasons. They have special luminous organs in their bodies, which may contain a species of luminescent bacteria. The squid then uses the bacteria to glow in the dark. Since there’s only one species of bacteria and one type of host tissue, it’s easy for researchers to track how that happens. “Squid has a similar immune system to humans. We can see a lot of similarities in how the immune system responds to these beneficial bacteria in the space environment,” she added. The baby squid are born without bacteria, so they must be collected from the environment. The team of experts conducting the experiment will promote a symbiotic relationship by introducing bacteria into the squid and observing what happens in the first few hours. In the experiment, the squids will be placed in an automatic container. The pump will pump water or bacteria as they need it. After that, the squid tissue will be frozen on the ISS station and brought back to Earth. In addition, the scientists also carried out other experiments including mobile ultrasound, remote control of the robotic arm with virtual reality technology, analysis of how kidney stones form in space, studying the microbiome of the kidney. organisms in the mouth and produce more resistant cotton. Hundreds of scientific experiments are conducted every day on the ISS station, which is likened to a space laboratory. Astronauts will monitor this experiment and report their observations to researchers on Earth. These studies will help us better understand zero-gravity life and explore possible benefits on Earth.