Home / Science / Desert Moss Survives Space: China's Resilient Plant
Desert Moss Survives Space: China's Resilient Plant
11 Oct
Summary
- Moss from Xinjiang, China, survived dehydration, radiation, and extreme cold.
- This resilient moss was revived after an orbital space experiment.
- Its genetic code offers potential for improving crops and restoring deserts.
Scientists have identified a uniquely resilient moss, Syntrichia caninervis, in the Gurbantunggut Desert of China's Xinjiang region. This plant has shown an extraordinary ability to withstand severe dehydration, enduring the loss of over 98 percent of its cellular water. It also tolerates rapid freezing to minus 196 degrees Celsius and significant gamma radiation exposure.
Further demonstrating its hardiness, the dried moss was part of an experiment on China's Qingzhou spacecraft. Following exposure to microgravity and cosmic radiation with minimal water, the moss successfully revived and regenerated, changing from a gray-black to a yellow-green hue.
This successful revival marks the first instance of a complete plant being brought into low Earth orbit and recovering. Researchers have sequenced the moss's chromosome-level genetic information, identifying numerous stress-related genes. This discovery presents exciting possibilities for improving crop resilience and rehabilitating desertified lands.
