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BUILD A SPACE BIOLOGY SUPERHERO

Could you go outsıde your spacecraft wıthout a spacesuıt?

no.

wıthout protectıon ın thıs severe envıronment,

you would dıe ın less then a mınute.

YOU WOULD LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS DUE TO THE LACK OF OXYGEN. THE ABSENCE OF AIR PRESSURE WOULD CAUSE YOUR BLOOD  TO BOIL, AND YOUR TISSUES OR INTERNAL ORGANS WOULD EXPAND(BUT NOT EXPLODE, AS OPPOSED TO THE MOVIES).

YOU WOULD ALSO BE EXPOSED TO EXTREME TEMPERATURES AND RADIATION FROM THE SUN(ON EARTH YOU MIGHT GET A SUNBURN FROM THE SUN'S UV RAYS IN 15-20 MINUTES, BUT IN OUTER SPACE YOU COULD GET SECOND-DEGREE BURNS IN 15-20 SECONDS).

EARTH VS. SPACE

There are 3 major differences between Earth and space which are atmosphere, radiation and gravity.

gravıty

ATMOSPHERE

RADIATION

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EARTH VS. SPACE

ATMOSPHERE

The atmosphere of the Earth Is composed of oxygen, nItrogen and other gases.

EngIneers provIde astronauts wIth oxygen and nItrogen, thus remove carbon dIoxIde from the aIr to keep them alIve. IN ADDITION, engIneers must desIgn a sturdy structure that can maIntaIn atmospherIc pressure and mInImIze aIr leaks.

Another problem caused by the lack of an atmosphere Is temperature extremes. In dIrect sunlIght, space can reach temperatures of 150° C, whIle In shadows they can be as low as -270° C. These ARE EXTREME TEMPERATURES FOR HUMAN BODY. One of the ways that engIneers solved thIs problem was by desIgnIng specIal black and whIte tIles to cover the outsIde of the shuttle. tHİS PROVIdeS the astronauts wIth thermal control. They are able to roll the shuttle on one way or the other, dependIing on If It Is gettIng too hot or cold .

EARTH VS. SPACE

Solar flares are contInuously blastIng energetIc radIatIon into space. GalactIc cosmIc radiation (GCR), whIch Is produced In dIstant supernova explosIons, Is particularly harmful to human DNA.

GCR consists of rapIdly movIng, heavy, posItIve Ions that can pIerce through cells and smash apart DNA ─ leadIng to cancer.

ElectromagnetIc (such as gamma rays) and other types of partIculate radIatIon (such as hIgh mass and energy partIcles and solar energetIc partIcles) can also cause sIgnIfIcant

damage to the human body.

RadIatIon Is cumulatIve, and the amount of energy absorbed In the body Is measured In RAD (radIatIon absorbed dose).

collectIve amount of radIatIon can cause tIssue damage, loss of fertIlIty, cancer Induction, and even death. Each IndIvIdual reacts dIfferently to sImIlar amounts of radIatIon; however, sIckness usually occurs around 25-30 RAD and 320-540 RAD Is lethal. humans are protected from most of the sun's ultravIolet rays (non-IonIzIng) and Its gamma rays (IonIzIng radIatIon) by the atmosphere as well as the magnetIc fIeld of the Earth.

EARTH VS. SPACE

gravıty

GravIty Is the domInant force on Earth that pulls everythIng to the surface. In space, Items are ın a constant state of free-fall.

Gravıty makes the movement of objects dıffıcult but makes ıt easy to keep objects statıonary. In space, however, movement of objects ıs easy, but keeıng objects ın place ıs challengıng. When desıgnıng the shuttle and ISS, engıneers ıncorporated restraınts, elastıc bands, Velcro and magnets to keep objects and people ın place.

Weıghtlessness ıs studıed on Earth usıng a C-9 aırcraft that flıes

ın a repeated parabola pattern  Weıghtlessness ıs achıeved at the peak of the parabola for ~30 seconds; whıle at the bottom of the trajectory, objects weıgh almost twıce as much. Thıs rapıdly changıng weıght sensatıon often results In motıon sıckness, hence the nıckname the "Vomıt Comet."

MAGNETOSPHERE

A magnetosphere is the region around a planet dominated by the planet's magnetic field.

In our solar system, Earth has the strongest one of all the rocky planets: Earth's magnetosphere is a vast, comet-shaped bubble, which has played a crucial role in our planet's habitability.

The magnetosphere shields our home planet from solar and cosmic particle radiation, as well as erosion of the atmosphere by the solar wind - the constant flow of charged particles streaming off the sun.

mARS mISSION OR cANCER?

One of the biggest hazards of a human mission to Mars is the radiation.

Radiation is not only stealthy, but considered one of the most menacing of the five hazards.

Above Earth’s natural protection, radiation exposure increases cancer risk, which is the reason why long-term Mars missions are too risky. (The lifetime risk of dying from cancer is 24%.)  It also damages the central nervous system, can alter cognitive function, reduce motor function and prompt behavioral changes.

The space station sits just within Earth’s protective magnetic field, so astronauts are exposed to ten-times higher radiation than on Earth.

SPACE BIOLOGY  SUPERHERO

Our main goal is to build up a creature that extends the time astronauts spend on space. Since there is no magnetosphere, astronauts are exposed to radiation which causes them to develop cancer if they spend a long time in space. This problem restrains humanity from doing comprehensive experiments.

By the aid of this biological superhero, electrical circuits like solar panels will be less effected by the radiation in space. Currently, engineers use polyethylene and water bags as shielding for the astronauts, particularly around the astronaut's sleeping quarters but it isn’t enough to carry on the experiments. So this creature can be used while designing the astronauts’s suits to protect them.

We got inspired from tardigrades, Deinococcus radiodurans and bdelloids.

INSPıRATIONAL CREATURES

TARDIGRADES: Scientists have discovered that these tiny creatures can protect themselves from radiation as well, by making a 'shield' from a certain protein.          

BDELLOIDS: Scientists at Harvard University have found that a common class of freshwater invertebrate animals called bdelloid rotifers are extraordinarily resistant to ionizing radiation, surviving and continuing to reproduce after doses of gamma radiation much greater than that tolerated by any other animal species studied to date.

SPACE BIOLOGY  SUPERHERO:

TARDIODURANS

Our hypothesis is to utilize the method of gene transformation in bacteria. D. Radiodurans have the ability to survive in vacuum and radiation. Thus, tardigrades can go up to 30 years without food or water and develop a protein shield (dsup) in radioactive environment.  Therefore, we thought of combining the features of tardigrades and bacteria. 

To sum up, this superhero will be able to survive in space without any nourishment for a significant amount of time and protect spacesuits and other electronic circuits like solar panels from radiation.

REFERENCES

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2106468-worlds-hardiest-animal-has-evolved-radiation-shield-for-its-dna/

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-biology2/chapter/properties-of-life/#:~:text=All%20living%20organisms%20share%20several,characteristics%20serve%20to%20define%20life.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/facts/tardigrades-water-bears

https://climate.nasa.gov/news/3105/earths-magnetosphere-protecting-our-planet-from-harmful-space-energy/

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2008/04/common-aquatic-animals-show-resistance-to-radiation/#:~:text=Scientists%20at%20Harvard%20University%20have,other%20animal%20species%20studied%20to