Conversation

Notices

Pybonacci (pybonacci@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 17:28:26 CET Pybonacci

[...] a special type of fungi that thrives in high radiation environments called Cladosporium sphaerospermum could form a living shield around astronauts in space. The fungus not only blocks radiation, but actually uses it to grow, through a process call radiosynthesis: it pulls energy from radiation, just as most plants pull energy from sunlight via photosynthesis. [...]
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.07.16.205534v6.full
In conversation Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 17:28:26 CET from mastodon.social permalink
Attachments
1. A Self-Replicating Radiation-Shield for Human Deep-Space Exploration: Radiotrophic Fungi can Attenuate Ionizing Radiation aboard the International Space Station
  
  The greatest hazard for humans on deep-space exploration missions is radiation. To protect astronauts venturing out beyond Earth’s protective magnetosphere, advanced passive radiation protection is highly sought after. In search of innovative radiation-shields, biotechnology appeals with suitability for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), self-regeneration, and adaptability. Certain fungi thrive in high-radiation environments on Earth, such as the contamination radius of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Analogous to photosynthesis, these organisms appear to perform radiosynthesis, utilizing ionizing radiation to generate chemical energy. It has been postulated that the absorption of radiation is attributable to the pigment melanin. It is further hypothesized that this phenomenon translates to radiation-shielding properties. Here, growth of Cladosporium sphaerospermum and its capability to attenuate ionizing radiation, was studied aboard the International Space Station (ISS) over a period of 30 days, as an analog to habitation on the surface of Mars. At full maturity, radiation beneath a ≈ 1.7 mm thick lawn of the dematiaceous radiotrophic fungus was 2.17±0.25% lower as compared to the negative control. In addition, a growth advantage in Space of ~ 21% was observed, substantiating the thesis that the fungus’ radiotropism is extendable to Space radiation. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. * B : buildup-factor CDW : cell dry-weight CPM : counts per minute CWW : cell wet-weight DHN : 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene GCR : galactic cosmic radiation HZE : high atomic number and energy ISRU : in-situ resource utilization ISS : international space station LAC : linear attenuation coefficient LEO : low earth-orbit MAC : mass attenuation coefficient PDA : potato dextrose agar RT : room temperature.
- Frankie colored by Sr Román (francistein@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 17:29:49 CET Frankie colored by Sr Román
  in reply to
  
  @pybonacci Life is amazing.
  
  In conversation Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 17:29:49 CET permalink
- Pybonacci (pybonacci@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 17:31:28 CET Pybonacci
  in reply to
  - Frankie colored by Sr Román
  @francistein This fungi grows in extreme environments like the one in Chernobyl :blobpeek:
  
  In conversation Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 17:31:28 CET permalink
- Frankie colored by Sr Román (francistein@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 17:31:48 CET Frankie colored by Sr Román
  in reply to
  
  @pybonacci I read about it some time ago, I have remembered reading your toot.
  
  In conversation Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 17:31:48 CET permalink
- Frankie colored by Sr Román (francistein@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 17:34:12 CET Frankie colored by Sr Román
  in reply to
  
  @pybonacci Hasta escribí un hilo en 2020, ya no me acordaba jajaja
  https://mastodon.social/@francistein/103480473677589832
  
  In conversation Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 17:34:12 CET permalink
- Pybonacci (pybonacci@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 17:46:26 CET Pybonacci
  in reply to
  - Frankie colored by Sr Román
  @francistein ¿Podríamos usarlos para almacenar y generar energía en el espacio para vivir, por ejemplo, en Marte? ¿Podría servir como revistimiento en las casas marcianas? 🤔 En Marte parece que habría como 2-3 veces más radiación solar que la que recibe la ISS. Pero, ¿qué radiación absorben?
  Aysss, que pena fliparse tanto y ser tan limitado y no poder aprender sobre todo lo interesante de la vida.
  
  In conversation Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 17:46:26 CET permalink
- Frankie colored by Sr Román (francistein@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 17:53:52 CET Frankie colored by Sr Román
  in reply to
  
  @pybonacci Quién sabe, quizá los trajes espaciales sean de hongos en el futuro y las casas también. Lo que está claro es que la vida se agarra a lo que sea.
  
  In conversation Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 17:53:52 CET permalink
  
  Pybonacci repeated this.
- Deseando ver el sol. (aurochs@mastodon.madrid)'s status on Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 18:11:36 CET Deseando ver el sol.
  in reply to
  - Frankie colored by Sr Román
  @francistein @pybonacci Supongo que, el siguiente paso, será medir que tipo de radiación y longitudes de onda absorben los bichitos. Luego ver que moléculas tienen que absorban esa radiación (se supone que la melanina... pero quien sabe?).
  
  In conversation Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 18:11:36 CET permalink
- Pybonacci (pybonacci@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 18:17:55 CET Pybonacci
  in reply to
  - Frankie colored by Sr Román
  - Deseando ver el sol.
  @Aurochs la melanina estaría más relacionado con el UV? En Chernobil serían rayos-X/gamma, más energéticos? @francistein
  
  In conversation Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 18:17:55 CET permalink
- Deseando ver el sol. (aurochs@mastodon.madrid)'s status on Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 18:19:18 CET Deseando ver el sol.
  in reply to
  - Frankie colored by Sr Román
  @pybonacci @francistein Efectivamente, y partículas Alfa y Beta.
  
  In conversation Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 18:19:18 CET permalink
- Pybonacci (pybonacci@mastodon.social)'s status on Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 18:19:18 CET Pybonacci
  in reply to
  - Frankie colored by Sr Román
  - Deseando ver el sol.
  @Aurochs quizá hemos encontrado la protomolécula @francistein
  
  In conversation Sunday, 14-Nov-2021 18:19:18 CET permalink

Bienvenido

Public

Conversation

Notices

Feeds