The launch of 4 zebrafish into space is part of an experiment on the development of vertebrates in microgravity, according to phys.org on May 27.
Zebrafish in a research facility pool in Wuhan, China – (Photo: Getty Images).
While the fish are still thriving, they are showing some signs of disorientation.
Astronauts aboard the Tiangong space station have reported behaviors such as swimming upside down, swimming backward, and spinning, indicating that microgravity is affecting their spatial awareness.
The zebrafish were sent to the Tiangong station aboard the Shenzhou 18 spacecraft along with a batch of aquatic plants on April 25. The project’s goal is to create a self-sustaining ecosystem and study the effects of both microgravity and radiation on the development and growth of these species.
Aquatic habitat equipment (AQH) at a facility of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency allows for fish research on the ISS – (Photo: NASA).
Zebrafish are freshwater fish belonging to the carp family, originating from South Asia, and are a popular aquarium species.
They were chosen as a test subject due to their short reproductive cycle, rapid development, and fully sequenced genome. Additionally, their transparent eggs allow scientists to study their development quickly and effectively.
Moreover, their genetic structure shares similarities with humans, which can provide insights related to human health.
The observation of this fish species, which has been thoroughly researched on Earth, adapting and developing in microgravity helps us understand more about life and the development of vertebrates when exposed to such extreme environments.
The astronauts on the Tiangong station are regularly taking samples of food and water while cameras allow them to monitor the zebrafish’s habitat.
Development stages of zebrafish – (Photo: phys.org).
This is not the first time zebrafish have traveled to space. Since 2012, a Japanese research project has sent medaka fish and zebrafish to the International Space Station (ISS) to study their habitats.
The results showed that the bone density of the fish decreased within just 10 days. Astronauts experienced similar effects, although not as rapidly, and they could mitigate the impact through rigorous exercise.
Zebrafish were also sent to the Soviet Union’s Salyut 5 space station in 1976.
The health and sustainability of animal life in space is an important area of research to support human space exploration efforts. If humans are to undertake long-duration missions in space, such as to Mars, understanding the biological implications of space travel is crucial.
These zebrafish represent the latest experiment in a series of urgent research studies in this field.
