航天医学基础space_biology.pptVIP

Space Biology Key Concepts What is Life? Evolution of Life. Life on Mars The effects of gravity on cell shape and function. Gravitational Biology The effects of spaceflight on development of animals. Development Biology The effects of spaceflight on development of plants. Plant Biology How space radiation affects cells. Radiation Biology The biological research facilities on board the International Space Station The Evolution of Cell Living cells arose on Earth by the spontaneous aggregation of molecules about 3.5 billion years ago These early (prokaryotic) cells (e.g., bacteria) are small, with relatively simple internal structures containing DNA, proteins and small molecules They replicate quickly by simply dividing in two (a single cell can divide every 20 min and thereby give rise to 5 billion cells in 11 hrs). Their ability to divide quickly (growth rate) enables these cells to adapt rapidly to changes in their environment Bacteria can utilize virtually any type of organic molecule as food (including sugars, amino acids, fats, hydrocarbons,...) and get their energy (ATP) from chemical processes in absence or presence of Oxygen Talking about Contamination The Apollo-12 Lunar Module landed on the Moon 156 meters away from Surveyor-3, which landed there 2.5 years earlier The astronauts recovered a camera of the Surveyor spacecraft for analysis back on Earth Specimen of a bacteria (Streptococcus mitis) were still alive on the camera The World’s Oldest Living Thing Spores of the Bacillus bacteria were found during the summer of 2000 in salt crystals buried 600 meters below ground at a cavern in New Mexico, US When they were extracted from the crystals in a laboratory and placed in a nutrient solution, the micro-organisms revived and began to grow These bacteria have survived in a state of suspended animation for 250 million years Until then, the world’s oldest living survivors were thought to be 25-40