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Microscopic water bears could be the first interstellar space travelers …
Microscopic water bears could be the first interstellar space travelers
by ONE4ALL
WHO DISCOVERED IT?
NASA-funded physicists, philosophers and biologists
Stephen Lantin
NASA space technology graduate researcher
WHAT ARE TARDIGRADES
Simple and small organisms.
Also known as water bears.
Radiation tolerance.
Look like eight legged bears.
WHY THEM?
Because unlike other organisms they are small and can survive the radiation/space environment.
"The organisms we picked can repair their DNA if it's damaged by radiation"
They can survive to extreme conditions by going on a sort of hibernation.
CONTACT
Through different sensors and by monitoring them.
THE CONTRIBUITION
Testing how life responds to radiation environments
We can better characterize the response not just for small organisms, but for bigger ones as well.
CONTAMINATION
The specialists are considering how and what targets to choose when they send the organisms.
At this point they don't have a way to make it work.
They also resorted to a philosopher, because of ethical component.
ROBOTS VS. ORGANISMS
We can send both to space, since they contribution is different.
WHEN COULD TARDIGRADES BE SENT INTO SPACE?
A rough estimate, 20 years (but that doesn't mean they'll be on a 2040 flight
PROJECT STARLIGHT
Laser sail propulsion: shooting lasers directed to a sail.
It's the way they think it would be possible to sent these organisms to space and they survive.
