Lichen survives in space

According to the recent space experiment of the European Aviation Bureau, lichens can grow in open space environments.

This is the first time to observe the vitality of this plant in the universe.

Experiments on lichens are completed in the European " Bio Tray " module launched by the Russian " Light " satellite.

Unlike the previous experiments, this " bio tray " was installed on the surface of the satellite. During the experiment, the lichen was completely open in outer space, to experiment under severe conditions such as vacuum, weightlessness, temperature change, and cosmic radiation that was damaging. very strong .

The experiment process was carried out continuously in 14.6 days and nights. After that, the " bio tray " is retrieved by a special feedback chamber.

This two-week experiment showed that all medical samples existed and remained photosynthetic as usual.

The existence of this extraterrestrial life will help scientists accumulate data on rules, conditions and focal points for studying the physical integration of the cosmic environment, giving ideas thought for studying the evolution of life.

The survival of lichens in the universe does not stop at helping people discover space, but can also help humans study methods to overcome disease.

Because the lichen extract can resist radiation, ultraviolet rays, and some of the extracts from lichen plants, it is effective in curing cancer.

Lichen is one of the oldest species in the world, they can adapt to desert and low temperature environments such as desert in Antarctica and are the most abundant and most widely distributed species in here.

Lichen is a bunch of bacteria living in clusters, some biologists also consider them as independent low-level plants.

In the eyes of scientists, lichens are a complex organic organism, they are a collection of bacteriophage cells that maintain a large symbiotic relationship. The growth rate of lichen is very slow, the largest lichen, the fastest growth rate can only grow 1mm in 100 years.

The amount of water required for lichen growth is taken from melted ice. Their nutrients are supplied from weathered chemicals of lava.

The vigor of the lichen has been known for a long time, but their viability in space is the first known.

The biggest difference with other bacteria is that we can observe this cell type with the naked eye. This finding cannot help scientists reevaluate the ability of biological organisms to be dispersed in the universe through meteorite surfaces.

Although lichen's existence in the universe is not enough to solve all life problems of life, but starting to study from the lichen, can take a step further to solve many problems.

Tuyet Nhung