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Title: Moss Spores Survive 9 Months Outside ISS

Link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/25/11/20/2...

alternative_right shares a report from Phys.org: Inspired by moss's
resilience, researchers sent moss sporophytes -- reproductive structures that
encase spores -- to the most extreme environment yet: space. Their results,
published in the journal iScience on November 20, show that more than 80% of
the spores survived nine months outside of the International Space Station
(ISS) and made it back to Earth still capable of reproducing, demonstrating
for the first time that an early land plant can survive long-term exposure to
the elements of space. [Lead author Tomomichi Fujita of Hokkaido University
and his team] subjected Physcomitrium patens, a well-studied moss commonly
known as spreading earthmoss, to a simulated a space environment, including
high levels of UV radiation, extreme high and low temperatures, and vacuum
conditions. They tested three different structures from the moss --
protenemata, or juvenile moss; brood cells, or specialized stem cells that
emerge under stress conditions; and sporophytes, or encapsulated spores -- to
find out which had the best chance of surviving in space. The researchers
found that UV radiation was the toughest element to survive, and the
sporophytes were by far the most resilient of the three moss parts. None of
the juvenile moss survived high UV levels or extreme temperatures. The brood
cells had a higher rate of survival, but the encased spores exhibited ~1,000x
more tolerance to UV radiation. The spores were also able to survive and
germinate after being exposed to 196C for over a week, as well as after
living in 55C heat for a month.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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