These "Space Specialty Experiments" Could Unlock Mysteries in Life Sciences
3 April 2025 路 Uncategorized 路
Source: 路 https://www.cnr.cn/tech/techgsrw/20241107/t20241107_526967325.shtml
By Lu Chengkuan
On November 4th, a batch of life science experimental samples returned to Earth with the Shenzhou XVIII spacecraft. Due to biological activity requirements, these 'space specialties' were immediately transported from the landing site to the Chinese Academy of Sciences Space Application Engineering and Technology Center in Beijing for further processing.
The cultivation of zebrafish in space achieved breakthroughs in vertebrate breeding.
In May this year, "raising zebra fish with astronauts" became a hot topic. Dr. Zhang Xianyuan from the Institute of Hydrobiology at CAS introduced that researchers constructed a small aquatic ecosystem consisting of zebrafish and duckweed.
On April 25th, 2024, this mini-aquatic system was carried into China's space station aboard Shenzhou XVIII to conduct experiments in the Life Ecology Cabinet on Tianwen module. The experiment planned for thirty days actually ran stably for forty-four days. During its operation period, astronauts collected water samples three times and replaced fish food boxes once.
This experiment achieved a breakthrough in breeding vertebrates in space and found that microgravity significantly affected zebrafish behavior. "We will conduct detailed analysis of the returned samples while combining real-time data to further study this aquatic ecosystem," Zhang said.
Three strains of archaea may reveal the mystery behind methane on Mars.
Among all types of archaea, methanogenic archaea are particularly noteworthy as they can degrade organic matter into methane in anaerobic environments. This time around, three strains were returned from space experiments.
The research team conducted studies to verify how these three strains adapt under simulated Martian gravity and microgravity conditions with cosmic radiation exposure.
Samples inside the cabin used a small centrifuge module within Tianwen's Life Ecology Cabinet for their experiment which started on January 19th, 2024. The samples were retrieved from this device by August 20th of that year before being stored in cold storage at four degrees Celsius until they could be returned to Earth.
"Next, we will validate the phenotypic and genetic differences as well as transcriptional and protein-level variations among these strains," said Cui Duo. "We hope our research can shed light on how methane is produced on Mars and whether life might exist in extraterrestrial extreme environments."
Extreme Microbes Assess Possibilities of Interstellar Life Spread
Can extremophiles survive in space? This question may soon be answered as 215 samples returned with Shenzhou XVIII.
"These include radiation-resistant, lithoautotrophic microbes, lichens and other organisms that thrive under harsh conditions on Earth," said Zhang Gaosen from the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources at CAS. "They are used to study survival limits in space environments as well as their potential for spreading beyond our planet."
The samples also include microorganisms collected from spacecraft assembly areas, which were combined with common aerospace materials into composite structures.
"By exposing these samples outside the cabin under cosmic conditions," Zhang said, "we aim at understanding how they survive and what protective features of different space materials might be. This will lay a foundation for planetary protection technology in deep-space exploration."
Using Amino Acid Chemical Reaction Models to Explain Gravity's Role in Life Origin
Research on life origin is crucial as it addresses fundamental questions about the essence of life, our place within the universe.
Scientists used amino acid chemical reaction models under microgravity and space radiation conditions aboard Shenzhou XVIII. The samples returned are part of a series that began with Shenzhou XVI's mission to further validate how gravity influences peptide formation from amino acids during early stages of life development.
The experiment also included various 'seeds' for potential extraterrestrial life, such as amino acids and nucleotides exposed to cosmic radiation outside the cabin. Scientists will conduct in-depth studies on these samples with hopes that they can provide insights into whether certain environments could trigger life formation from basic molecules.
On November 4th, a batch of life science experimental samples returned to Earth with the Shenzhou XVIII spacecraft. Due to biological activity requirements, these 'space specialties' were immediately transported from the landing site to the Chinese Academy of Sciences Space Application Engineering and Technology Center in Beijing for further processing.
The cultivation of zebrafish in space achieved breakthroughs in vertebrate breeding.
In May this year, "raising zebra fish with astronauts" became a hot topic. Dr. Zhang Xianyuan from the Institute of Hydrobiology at CAS introduced that researchers constructed a small aquatic ecosystem consisting of zebrafish and duckweed.
On April 25th, 2024, this mini-aquatic system was carried into China's space station aboard Shenzhou XVIII to conduct experiments in the Life Ecology Cabinet on Tianwen module. The experiment planned for thirty days actually ran stably for forty-four days. During its operation period, astronauts collected water samples three times and replaced fish food boxes once.
This experiment achieved a breakthrough in breeding vertebrates in space and found that microgravity significantly affected zebrafish behavior. "We will conduct detailed analysis of the returned samples while combining real-time data to further study this aquatic ecosystem," Zhang said.
Three strains of archaea may reveal the mystery behind methane on Mars.
Among all types of archaea, methanogenic archaea are particularly noteworthy as they can degrade organic matter into methane in anaerobic environments. This time around, three strains were returned from space experiments.
The research team conducted studies to verify how these three strains adapt under simulated Martian gravity and microgravity conditions with cosmic radiation exposure.
Samples inside the cabin used a small centrifuge module within Tianwen's Life Ecology Cabinet for their experiment which started on January 19th, 2024. The samples were retrieved from this device by August 20th of that year before being stored in cold storage at four degrees Celsius until they could be returned to Earth.
"Next, we will validate the phenotypic and genetic differences as well as transcriptional and protein-level variations among these strains," said Cui Duo. "We hope our research can shed light on how methane is produced on Mars and whether life might exist in extraterrestrial extreme environments."
Extreme Microbes Assess Possibilities of Interstellar Life Spread
Can extremophiles survive in space? This question may soon be answered as 215 samples returned with Shenzhou XVIII.
"These include radiation-resistant, lithoautotrophic microbes, lichens and other organisms that thrive under harsh conditions on Earth," said Zhang Gaosen from the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources at CAS. "They are used to study survival limits in space environments as well as their potential for spreading beyond our planet."
The samples also include microorganisms collected from spacecraft assembly areas, which were combined with common aerospace materials into composite structures.
"By exposing these samples outside the cabin under cosmic conditions," Zhang said, "we aim at understanding how they survive and what protective features of different space materials might be. This will lay a foundation for planetary protection technology in deep-space exploration."
Using Amino Acid Chemical Reaction Models to Explain Gravity's Role in Life Origin
Research on life origin is crucial as it addresses fundamental questions about the essence of life, our place within the universe.
Scientists used amino acid chemical reaction models under microgravity and space radiation conditions aboard Shenzhou XVIII. The samples returned are part of a series that began with Shenzhou XVI's mission to further validate how gravity influences peptide formation from amino acids during early stages of life development.
The experiment also included various 'seeds' for potential extraterrestrial life, such as amino acids and nucleotides exposed to cosmic radiation outside the cabin. Scientists will conduct in-depth studies on these samples with hopes that they can provide insights into whether certain environments could trigger life formation from basic molecules.