Moss Found Capable of Surviving Prolonged Space Exposure

A team of scientists has discovered that moss spores can survive extended exposure to space. In the experiment, moss spores were left in low Earth orbit for nine months. Remarkably, 80% of the spores remained viable and were able to reproduce once brought back to Earth.

Study Details

• The study, titled “Extreme environmental tolerance and space survivability of the moss, Physcomitrium patens”, was published in iScience last week.
• Based on experimental data, researchers estimate that moss could survive in space for nearly 15 years.

Significance for Space Exploration

• This discovery opens up new avenues for building human habitats beyond Earth, such as on the Moon or Mars.
• Moss could serve as a potential life-supporting organism due to its resilience and ability to withstand extreme environments.

Why Moss is Special

• Moss is a small, hardy plant commonly found in damp and shady areas on Earth.
• It is one of the earliest land plants, capable of surviving in Antarctica, deserts, and volcanic fields.
• Mosses are primitive plants from which modern plant groups like trees, flowers, and ferns evolved.

Biological Characteristics of Moss

• Mosses have simple stems and leaves but lack true roots.
• They do not produce flowers; instead, they reproduce through spores.
• Their shallow, root-like structures called rhizoids help anchor them but cannot transport water like typical plant roots.

Source: IE