• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
TechEngage®

TechEngage®

Connecting mankind with technology

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Cryptocurrency
  • How-to
  • Roundups
  • Science
    • Energy
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Space
  • Apps
  • More
    • Opinion
    • Noteworthy
    • Culture
    • Events
    • Deals
    • Startups
      • Startup Submissions
  • Videos
  • Tools
TechEngage » Science » Space

NASA is sending worms to space to protect astronauts

Avatar Of Fazeel Ashraf Fazeel Ashraf Updated: July 1, 2020

NASA sending worms to Space
Image Credits: NASA
FacebookTweetPinLinkedInPrintEmail

NASA is sending worms in outer space. This might sound like a plot from a Sci-Fi movie, where everything soon goes into disarray, and the worms start eating the astronauts or something similar. But it’s for a good cause. Scientists will send worms to stop astronauts from losing weight.

Most of us don’t know this, but an astronaut’s physiology can change in space. Their whole physical structure from weight to height can fluctuate while they are in space. Astronauts can lose up to 40 percent of their weight during a 6-month space mission.

This can make astronauts physically incapable of doing their job. These worms are so tiny that they can only be seen under a microscope. The microscopic worms are called C. elegans and are fascinating specimens.

These remarkable “creatures” share some of the vital characteristics as homo sapiens do. In other words, they are part human. This is a good thing, believe it or not. The worms assist in demonstrating some of the ways space can affect muscle and the ability to utilize energy.

This experiment is being carried out by British scientists from Exeter and Nottingham universities and was initiated on 5th December 2018. The worms will be sent to the International Space Station from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, USA.

The space station is in orbit around the Earth at a distance of between 205 and 270 miles away. The worms will start multiplying in space, and after growing to adults, in around 6.5 days, they will be frozen and then sent back to Earth.

This is a very vital experiment as I said earlier. It will help scientists figure out why or how astronauts undergo certain physical changes while they are in space. This experiment will also figure out health problems on Earth. This research could even result in new treatment options for diseases such as diabetes.

Space missions are a good depiction of how accelerated aging occurs and the rate at which humans age is connected to a phenomenon known as “insulin signaling.” It is how insulin increases the uptake of glucose into fat and muscle cells. As humans age, our metabolism slows, and so our bodies become less efficient at metabolizing glucose.

If scientists can figure out how spaceflight affects the aging process, they can use more specific treatment options for patients.  Targeted interventions such as drugs will help slow or prevent muscle atrophy from occurring in astronauts.

The researchers will use mutant worms. These mutant worms have a more sensitive response to glucose. They have a high or low uptake of glucose into their muscle cells and can help calculate how their muscles are affected by space.

It’s because of such experiments that many companies that send experiments in space are popping up. Just think of Space Tango, the startup from Lexington Kentucky that is helping scientists grow cannabis plants and its byproducts aboard the International Space Station.

The project is a proper collaboration, and actual team effort went into it. It is supported by The European Space Agency, UK Space Agency, BBSRC, MRC, and Arthritis Research UK.

This post was orginally published on: December 9, 2018 and was updated on: July 1, 2020.

Related Tags: NASA Space Space Worms

Related Stories

  • Opportunity: The Mars Rover That Went Missing Has Been Found

    Opportunity: the Mars rover that went missing has been found

  • Nasa Believes Private Companies Are Ready For Outer Space

    NASA believes private companies are ready for outer space

  • Interstellar Comet 2I/Borisov Is Coming, And We Can Watch It

    Interstellar Comet 2I/Borisov is coming, and we can watch it

FacebookTweetPinLinkedInPrintEmail
Avatar Of Fazeel Ashraf

Fazeel Ashraf

Former Author @TechEngage

IT graduate from the National University of Science and Technology with a passion for writing. When not reading or writing, I can be found listening to rock and metal or playing some classic jams on my electric guitar. I’m also a big fan of horror movies.

Reader Interactions

Share Your Thoughts Cancel reply

Please read our comment policy before submitting your comment. Your email address will not be used or publish anywhere. You will only receive comment notifications if you opt to subscribe below.

Primary Sidebar

Become a contributor

We are accepting contributor applications. All applications will be decided in 3 days after applying. To learn more click here.
TechEngage-Apple-News
TechEngage-Google-News
iPhone 7 in Rose Gold

iPhone tips and tricks for iOS users 2023

best educational apps for android and ios

19 best educational apps of 2023

Recent Stories

  • A Secret to live a blissful life
  • How to sync Google Drive with OneDrive
  • 5 Best video game consoles to Buy on Amazon in 2023
  • Exploring the Science Behind How a Washing Machine Cleans Your Clothes
  • Android Rooting Guide: Risks and Procedure to Root an Android Device

Footer

Discover

  • About us
  • Newsroom
  • Staff
  • Advertise
  • Send us a tip
  • Startup Submission Questionnaire
  • Brand Kit
  • Contact us

Legal pages

  • Reviews Guarantee
  • Community Guidelines
  • Corrections Policy and Practice
  • Cookies Policy
  • Our Ethics
  • Disclaimer
  • GDPR Compliance
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Must reads

  • Best AirPods alternatives on Amazon
  • Best PC monitors for gaming on Amazon
  • Best family board games
  • Best Graphics Cards (GPUs) for gaming
  • Best video doorbells without subscription
  • Best handheld video game consoles
  • Best all-season tires for snow
  • Best mobile Wi-Fi hotspots
  • Best treadmills on Amazon
  • Best AM radios for long-distance reception

Download our apps

TechEngage-app-google-play-store
TechEngage app coming soon on App Store

Copyright © 2023 · All Rights Reserved · TechEngage® is a Project of TechAbout LLC.
TechEngage® is a registered trademark in United Kingdom under Trademark Number UK00003417167 and is ISSN protected under the ISSN 2690-3776 and OCLC Number 1139335774.

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!
x
x