This moss survived the rigors of space outside the International Space Station for 9 months

Space is a harsh environment: it is a vacuum with zero temperatures, extremely high ultraviolet radiation and, of course, almost no oxygen.

But Japanese researchers have found a type of moss that actually doesn’t care much about it.

one in New study published on ThursdayResearchCheres sent a type of moss called Physcomitrium patents To the International Space Station (ISS). This moss did not get a chance to live in the more or less Earth-like comfortable confines of the station, but was kept out in the rigors of space for nine months.

The researchers examined three different stages of moss: protenemata, (juvenile moss); Brood cells, (specialized stem cells); and sporophytes (Reproductive structures that surround spores).

Not all stages survived.

When it came to juvenile moss, it was unable to survive high ultraviolet (UV) radiation or extreme temperature fluctuations.

There was one in the brood cells Better rate, survival in cold temperatures for up to 30 days, While 80 percent sporophytes remained alive.

“The research in this paper proves that they can survive without any growth for at least nine months,” said lead researcher Tomomichi Fujita, who is also a professor at Hokkaido University.

But what’s even better is that, when they returned to Earth, about 90 percent of the spores were able to germinate and grow in a laboratory setting.

Researchers will need to do more work to see whether the spores changed during their time in space.

plants in space

Multicellular organisms have a long history of testing their limits in space, especially plants,

Plants have already been grown on the space station,

But why bother?

Scientists say that, if humans are eventually going to live on the Moon or Mars, we will have to figure out how to survive, which includes grow food for Eat But it could be more than that.

“I think (plants) will be very important not only for nutrition, but also for mental health,” said Katherine Neish, associate professor in the department of earth sciences at the University of Western London, Ontario.

“Seeing green things grow, eating fresh produce, I mean, I think it would be a big factor in an astronaut’s mental health.”

Neesh was involved in an experiment with a then-graduate student in 2024 Nima Abbaszadeh It observed plants growing in lunar regolith (which is rocky material) and Martian regolith. Since there is no organic matter in the regolith, they had to add fertilizer to it.

It worked – for the most part.

“I was surprised anything went up,” she said. “The Mars soil didn’t work, but the Moon’s – we had two lunar soils, one representing the lava plains, Mare, and one representing the highlands – and yes, it worked great in both.”

For Fujita, the idea of ​​using moss specifically Physcomitrium patentsCame from the hardiness of the plant.

But how did the spores survive the extremes? conditions Of place?

Researchers believe that the structure surrounding the spores acts as a protective layer, absorbing UV radiation. They also suggest that perhaps layer Covers the internal spores to prevent any damage.

Such protection may also be the reason why this hardy moss group, called bryophytes, may have transitioned from an aquatic plant to a terrestrial one about 500 million years ago.

Fujita says he hopes the findings will help create ecosystems on the Moon and Mars.

“I hope our moss research will serve as a starting point,” he said.