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Moss From Space? Microscopic Spores Survive Nine Months on ISS, Ready to Reproduce!
Hold onto your gardening gloves, folks, because we’ve got some out-of-this-world news! A recent study has revealed that tiny moss spores spent a good chunk of 2022 chilling in the harsh vacuum of outer space, and guess what? They came back ready to reproduce, no worse for wear!
Researchers from Hokkaido University in Japan are buzzing about their findings, which were published in the online journal iScience. They say this groundbreaking experiment “reveals the potential of terrestrial plants to endure extreme environments”-and they’re not just talking about your neighbor’s neglected flower bed. We’re talking extraterrestrial extreme!
“Climate change highlights the importance of understanding life’s survival limits for addressing global challenges and supporting future human habitation beyond Earth,” the study’s intro reads. Basically, these scientists are looking to our humble moss to figure out how we might one day set up shop on the Moon or Mars. Who knew our green, fuzzy friends held the key to interstellar real estate?
For a whopping nine months, these plucky little moss spores were strapped to the outside of the International Space Station, enduring conditions that would turn most Earthly creatures into space dust. While their chlorophyll-the stuff that makes them green-did take a bit of a hit, a staggering 80% of the spores remained viable after their cosmic vacation. Talk about resilience!
The study even found that different types of moss spores have their own superpowers. Some might be able to shrug off ultraviolet rays, heat, and intense light, while others “could be used for planetary greening and life support systems.” So, not only could they help us survive in space, but they might also be the first intergalactic landscapers!
Bryophytes, the family of plants that includes moss, have been around for at least 500 million years, making the jump from water to land way back when. They’ve seen Earth go through some serious changes and have developed a reputation for shrugging off desiccation, freezing, and radiation-all qualities that made them perfect candidates for this cosmic adventure.
And the best part? After their nine-month stint in space, these little survivors were brought back to Earth and could still germinate, ready to start a whole new generation of space-faring moss. So next time you see a patch of moss, give it a nod of respect-you might be looking at the ancestors of our future Martian forests!