Tardigrades, also known as water
bears for their cute appearance, are amazingly hearty microscopic creatures.
They can survive being frozen, thrown in boiling water, and other extreme
conditions that destroy almost all other Earthly lifeforms. In an experiment by
the European Space Agency, a batch of tardigrades sat outside of a satellite in
the freezing cold vacuum of space for ten days while intense UV and cosmic
radiation bombarded them constantly. Most survived.
Earlier this year, an Israeli lunar
lander carried thousands of tardigrades on board as a test to see if they are
capable of surviving the harsh conditions of the lunar surface. The craft
crashed, but these little guys are so tough, scientists believe that many
likely survived that crash.
Tardigrade, also known as a water bear. Credit Shuttercock
Intense radiation remains a major
hazard when traveling in space beyond Earth orbit. To go to Mars, for example,
astronauts need lots of shielding from cosmic rays, which means lots of weight.
And that means a huge launch cost. Astronauts less affected by space radiation
can survive with less shielding. And since Mars does not possess an ozone layer
to protect against UV radiation or a strong magnetic field to protect against
cosmic radiation, life becomes very dangerous for astronauts or colonists
there.
NASA plans on sending astronauts to
Mars within 15 years. Private companies plan on sending colonists there sooner,
perhaps by 2025. We have the technology to get humans to Mars within the next
5-10 years. We may well make the discovery of all time by finding native life
there. But can we keep our human Martians safe?
Water bears may hold the answer. Or
at least their genes. Scientists studying tardigrades have discovered many of
their genetic secrets of survival, and now some have suggested that
incorporating tardigrade genes into humans may make it possible for us to
survive more easily on Mars or even alien planets.
Would you be willing to become a
human-tardigrade hybrid to be the first human on Mars?
Each month, I write an
astronomy-related column piece for the Oklahoman
newspaper. On the following day, I post that same column to my blog page.
This is reprinted by permission from the Oklahoman and www.newsok.com
