According to the Associated Press in Honolulu, on June 21, dozens of small squid from Hawaii are participating in research in space. The Hawaiian short-tailed squid grew up at the University of Hawaii's Kvarlow Institute of Oceanography and were sent into space earlier this month during an International Space Station replenishment mission by Space Exploration Technologies.
Jamie Foster, a researcher who completed his Ph.D. at the University of Hawaii, is studying the effects of spaceflight on squid, hoping to boost human health during long-term space missions, honolulu Star Advertising reported Monday.
Squid have a symbiotic relationship with natural bacteria that help regulate their bioluminescent state.
Foster did research with University of Hawaii professor Margaret McFaul-Enge in the 1990s. McFore-Engae said that when astronauts are in a low gravity state, their body's relationship with microbes changes.
McFore-Enge was quoted as saying: "We found that in weightlessness, the symbiotic relationship between humans and microbes was disturbed, and Jamie also proved this in squid." And, since it's a simple system, she can figure out the crux of the problem. Foster is now a professor in Florida and the principal investigator of a NASA program that studies how weightlessness affects interactions between animals and microbes.
Foster said: "As astronauts spend more and more time in space, their immune system will develop what is called a disorder and cannot function properly. The immune system cannot easily recognize bacteria. They get sick sometimes. Foster said understanding what happens to a squid in space could help address the health problems astronauts face.
"During long spaceflights, there are aspects of the immune system that don't work properly," she said. If humans want to stay on the moon or Mars for a while, we have to solve health problems in order for them to get there safely. ”
According to the report, the body length of the Hawaiian short-tailed squid is about 7.6 centimeters. The squid will return to Earth in July.
Source: Reference News Network