مبادرة رائعة ونواصل معكم
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/09/invertebrate-as/
Invertebrate Astronauts Make Space History
- By Brandon Keim
- September 8, 2008 |
It’s one small step for
Tardigrada, and one giant leap for the animal kingdom: The toughest creature on Earth has survived a trip into space.
Except for a few hardy strains of bacteria, any other creature would
have been destroyed — but tardigrades handled the voyage as though it
were a dry spell on their local moss patch.
"They have claws and eyes. They are real animals. And this is the
first time such an animal was tested in space," said Petra Rettberg, an
Institute of Aerospace Medicine microbiologist.
Better known as water bears, tardigrades are eight-legged
invertebrates visible to the naked eye and found throughout the world,
making them a biology class favorite.
They’re capable of halting their metabolisms during times of extreme
privation, and can repair DNA damage caused by extraordinary doses of
radiation — a phenomenon that’s piqued scientific curiosity and
prompted researchers to shoot tardigrades into naked orbit around the Earth.
موضوع: دعوة لأصدقاء منتدى وسام 
الإثنين سبتمبر 14, 2009 2:01 pm
