News A Mosquito Survived in Outer Space

[SiberianTiger]

Experiments of new type with bio-objects help to prepare human space mission to Mars. Experts of the Institute of Bio-Medical Problems (IBMP) simulate the space radiation environment in order to study its impacts on the living organisms. One of these experiments was conducted in the outer space.
The result of the experiment was sensational. Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Anatoly Grigoriev states: "A mosquito survived in space". This insect spent a year on the ISS outer surface. It sounds incredible. "You see, we returned the mosquito back to the Earth. It woke up and started moving", says Anatoly Grigoriev. The mosquito was in space for about 1.5 years, with no food, and imposed by extreme variation of temperatures (-150deg - +60deg,ISS shadow-light).
The flier was studied in the Biorisk experiment: "We began it with bacteria, mould. Then a scientist from Japan proposed this insect".

Novosti Kosmonavtiki

 

[trokkes]

Ok,
I thinks it's time for the new prefix [WTF]
:rofl:

 

[SiberianTiger]

An outcome of the 52 years long work: ever since Laika, Russian scientists have been struggling to prove that miniaturization was promising...

 

[JamesG]

LOL! Figures...

But I presume that it wasn't exposed to vacuum as well?

 

[Stripe]

Do you have a source, reference or link for this?

 

[Urwumpe]

Do you have a source, reference or link for this?

I have read about it also on Spiegel Online, but they are more skeptical.

http://www.en.rian.ru/analysis/20090218/120203420.html

 

[Pilot7893]

Double tee eff?

 

[willy88]

And I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords. :lol:

 

[Andy44]

Do mosquitos even live 1.5 years on Earth?

If true, I find this disheartening. I despise mosquitos and all other biting, bloodsucking insects. I know some birds eat them, but birds can find some other meal. Exterminate all mosquitos.

 

[dmc]

Shouldnt have that skeeter been like super cooked? lol

 

[Eagle]

That's pretty impressive. I would have thought just freezing would be enough to kill it.

Some bug collectors put bugs in the freezer to kill them in a way they won't ball up into the bug equivalent of fetal position. That way they make good display items.

In random news I got an idea from Hitchiker's Guide for cold hibernation where the 'nauts have to get very high blood alchohol & antifreeze levels to keep ice crystals down in their body. Wouldn't be frozen, but very close. As a fun side-effect hibernation sickness is waking up drunk followed by a really, really bad hangover. Astronaut gets called awake in an emergency and has to take quick action despite being stone drunk and really cold.

 

[Andy44]

In random news I got an idea from Hitchiker's Guide for cold hibernation where the 'nauts have to get very high blood alchohol & antifreeze levels to keep ice crystals down in their body. Wouldn't be frozen, but very close. As a fun side-effect hibernation sickness is waking up drunk followed by a really, really bad hangover. Astronaut gets called awake in an emergency and has to take quick action despite being stone drunk and really cold.

Not to mention blind from the antifreeze.

 

[Eagle]

Not to mention blind from the antifreeze.

Well, that depends upon the dosage and the exact chemical. But hey, a 6 month nap probably isn't without detriment and who needs distance vision in a spacecraft?

[sorry for the threadjacking]