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Cotton, arabidopsis and potato seeds, and fruit-fly eggs and yeast were all aboard the 2.6-kilogram mini biosphere, but only the cotton produced positive results.
Unsurprisingly, the cold of the Lunar Night (minus 190 degrees C) was too much for the bilogical specimens and they died. So presumably this tells us that any plant life cannot be exposed and must be underground or very well insulated from the cold in order to survive on the Moon.
Next time it is the turn of a tortoise to find out how long it can last.
That didn't surprised me. Otherwise there would be some sort of life already.
Instead of tortoise, they should try Tardigrades.
They are able to survive in extreme environments that would kill almost any other animal. Pretty much nearly anything – freezing, lack of oxygen, radiation, lack of water, and extreme pressure changes. Their magical adaptability is due to a process called cryptobiosis, which causes the body to mimic death during times of extreme duress.
The Red Flat Bark Beetle is another tough one.
I suspect they wanted to skip a few steps up the evolutionary ladder because they dont have unlimited attempts at this before they send a person. They could send a dog/cat like the Russians did and then an ape perhaps, but thats another two flights at least. I dont know how many they have planned.
I would have probably worked out the infrastructure since any human will need supporting structures to live in. Really, this is a huge logistical nightmare so where do you start?
The USA has already said it will concentrate on a space station first and then only make short trips down to the Moons surface from there.
I don’t know why China would bother sending a tortoise, when there’s already ample data from the US lunar landing program showing temperatures, radiation, etc.
Seems a bit pointless. There's ample data on the conditions on the lunar surface. There's ample data on the conditions that cotton needs in order to grow. It's not rocket science to notice that one is unlike the other.
That didn't surprised me. Otherwise there would be some sort of life already.
Instead of tortoise, they should try Tardigrades.
They are able to survive in extreme environments that would kill almost any other animal. Pretty much nearly anything – freezing, lack of oxygen, radiation, lack of water, and extreme pressure changes. Their magical adaptability is due to a process called cryptobiosis, which causes the body to mimic death during times of extreme duress.
The Red Flat Bark Beetle is another tough one.
That didn't surprised me. Otherwise there would be some sort of life already.
Instead of tortoise, they should try Tardigrades.
They are able to survive in extreme environments that would kill almost any other animal. Pretty much nearly anything – freezing, lack of oxygen, radiation, lack of water, and extreme pressure changes. Their magical adaptability is due to a process called cryptobiosis, which causes the body to mimic death during times of extreme duress.
The Red Flat Bark Beetle is another tough one.
Or roaches
If Tardigrades could survive in space or on the moon, that would be a HUGE discovery and have many major implications!
If Tardigrades could survive in space or on the moon, that would be a HUGE discovery and have many major implications!
It'a already been discovered. An experiment with tardigrades was launched into space by the ESA in 2007. They were exposed to the vacuum of space, UV radiation from the sun, and cosmic radiation. On return, some were found alive from exposure to intense solar UV radiation which is 1000 times more intense than it is on Earth. Of those exposed to the vacuum and cosmic radiation, some died, but most survived. The survivors were able to reproduce on their return to earth. These critters seem pretty resistant to extreme conditions. https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...0908135906.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardig...vival_in_space
If any have hitched a ride to the Moon, it's possible some may have managed to survive on the surface, perhaps under lunar rocks and debris, or parts of crashed spacecrafts, instruments, or even in bags of astronaut poop left on the Moon from the manned Apollo missions. It's unknown if any of the tardigrades have survived after all these years. https://www.wired.com/story/a-crashe...s-on-the-moon/ https://www.vox.com/science-and-heal...t-arch-mission
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