It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Eyes open and toes out of water: how a giant water bug reached the island of Cyprus
PENSOFT PUBLISHERS
The island of Cyprus, although considered a hotspot for biodiversity in the Mediterranean, is more famous for its beautiful sunny coasts than for its insect fauna. Nevertheless, some visitors of its highly populated beaches, with their observations and curiosity, have provided important information for a species never recorded before on the island: a the giant water bug, also known as a toe biter.
Scientists Michael Hadjiconstantis from the Association for the Protection of Natural Heritage and Biodiversity of Cyprus, Iakovos Tziortzis from the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment of Cyprus, and Kadir Boğaç Kunt from the Cyprus Wildlife Research Institute collected information and specimens from an increasing number of records of the giant water bug on the east coastline of the island in late spring and summer of 2020 and 2021. The species, known for inhabiting ponds and slowly moving freshwaters, had never been recorded on the island before, although established populations are known in adjacent Mediterranean countries such as Greece, Turkey, and Israel.
Also referred to as Electric light bug, this giant water bug is described as a vicious hunter, praying on invertebrates, fish, turtles, and even birds. What is even scarier, as the largest European true bug and the largest European water insect and measuring up to 12 cm, it has a reputation of inflicting very painful bites when handled carelessly.
Its appearance, mainly on the eastern coastal front of the island, was initially recorded by swimmers, who were surprised by the fearsome looks and size of the bug. They either directly contacted the experts or published photos and videos online, mainly on Facebook groups related to biodiversity. The authors collected some of the specimens for further study. They also proceeded with an extensive online search on relevant online observation platforms (i.e. iNaturalist) in order to track any other reports of the species on the island. In addition, they sampled nearby wetlands, but did not spot the bug. End to end, a total of seven sightings were eventually recorded: five from social media and two after direct communication with the author team. Two specimens were obtained and examined morphologically to verify the species. The observations were recorded in a research article in the open-access journal Travaux du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle “Grigore Antipa”.
Having in mind that the toe biter is an iconic species accompanied by creepy stories concerning its encounters with humans, the authors assume that it is unlikely that it had gone unnoticed for too long. They consider it possible that several migration events might have been triggered in a short period of time by nearby countries hosting the species, such as Israel, Lebanon, and Syria. The specimens could have been transferred by wind or sea currents, as assumed by other researchers, or could have been driven by a decrease in food resources in their initial area of distribution.
Despite the number of recordings in a short timeframe, no conclusions can be drawn for the moment on the establishment of a population of the species on the island. This is further to be investigated, and as the initial recording of the species, citizen science can have an important role in this. The authors urge the public to be alert: “Naturalists looking for alien-like critters can provide valuable information on the presence and a possible establishment of the species through citizen science.” Until then, they warn: “Cypriots should keep their eyes open and their toes out of the water”.
Original source:
Hadjiconstantis M., Tziortzis I., Kunt KB (2023). On the importance of citizen-science: first records of the Giant water bug Lethocerus patruelis (Hemiptera, Belostomatidae) in Cyprus. Travaux du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle “Grigore Antipa” 66 (2): 291–299. https://travaux.pensoft.net/article/94457/
JOURNAL
Travaux du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle “Grigore Antipa”
On the importance of citizen-science: first records of the Giant water bug Lethocerus patruelis (Hemiptera, Belostomatidae) in Cyprus
Scientists discover how Diadem butterfly mimics African Queen
UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
Scientists have discovered how female Diadem butterflies have evolved to look like African Queen butterflies to repel predators.
African Queens are toxic, making them poor food for predators such as birds.
Diadems are actually good prey for birds – but they have evolved colours and patterns that closely match those of African Queens, making them appear toxic.
The new study – by a team including the universities of Exeter, Edinburgh and Cambridge, and Mpala Research Centre in Kenya – found that, surprisingly, different genes control these patterns in the two species.
“Our findings present a compelling instance of convergent evolution, whereby species independently evolve similar traits.
“We also find evidence of adaptive atavism in the Diadem – when a species reverts to a state found in its ancestors.
“In this case, Diadem butterflies have re-evolved an ancestral wing pattern and repurposed it to mimic the Africa Queen, providing a major advance in our understanding of how tasty species mimic those that are toxic.”
Different patterns are found on African Queen butterflies in north, east, south and west Africa – and the patterns on female Diadem butterflies in each area match these.
In contrast, male Diadems have distinctive dark wings with large white patches – possibly because the need to be recognised by the female outweighs the need to hide.
“This is amazing, as the males and females look like totally different butterflies, even though they share the same genome,” said Dr Dino Martins, who was the director of Mpala at the time all the butterflies were collected.
The study used “haplotagging”, a linked-read sequencing technology, and a new analytical tool called Wrath to study the genomes of multiple butterflies from the two different species.
“These new techniques can give us unique insights into the molecular population genetics of this fascinating example of Batesian mimicry,” said Dr Simon Martin, from the University of Edinburgh, one of the coauthors on the study.
Among the different funders was a Discovery Grant from the National Geographic Society, showing how blue skies research into butterflies can fundamentally change our understanding of evolution.
Transposable Element Insertions Are Associated with Batesian Mimicry in the Pantropical Butterfly Hypolimnas misippus
A method has been developed to protect and manage personal data on the internet
A URV research team has created a system that allows users to keep track of who has their information and what it is used for at all times by means of a smart contract
UNIVERSITAT ROVIRA I VIRGILI
Entering a website and accepting cookies is a very common and oft-repeated gesture when navigating the Internet. But this small action, which is often done automatically and without thought, entails security risks: by consenting to cookies, you lose control over your sensitive information, as you cannot review the conditions you have just accepted. In order to avoid this vulnerability, a research team from the Universitat Rovira i Virgili has developed an innovative environment based on blockchain technology that allows users to control what happens to their personal data and what it is used for at all times.
Accepting cookies gives permission for sensitive information to be shared, which puts at risk the privacy of users, who are uncertain how it will be used and for what purposes. To mitigate these risks, the European Union proposed the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), whereby service providers need to obtain explicit consent from data subjects to collect and process their personal data. The response of many web providers to this requirement has been to present users with a form when they access a service: the cookie acceptance form. But the law does not define how these providers should transparently demonstrate that they have this consent and most users do not know what rights they have over their personal data or have efficient methods to be on the lookout for what third parties do with their data.
The study led by the URV has consisted of creating a personal data management platform based on blockchain technology. It generates smart contracts which are published for life on the block chain and cannot be interfered with; that is to say, the terms agreed cannot be modified and the binding nature of the contract cannot be denied.
In order to use this smart contract, the user must install a programme in the browser that intercepts the request for consent and responds in accordance with their preferences. “Taking this small step makes browsing more agile and secure and complies with the main requirements of the European data protection law,” says Jordi Castellà, a researcher at the URV’s Department of Computer Engineering and Mathematics, who took part in the research.
In addition, all the consents accepted can be controlled and managed from a mobile application to keep track of who has them, when they were granted, what they are being used for and how to modify the details at any time.
For web service providers, this environment enables them to demonstrate, in the event of an audit, that they have obtained consent from users. Information is accessed through a secure access control system.
This research makes the management of personal data more secure and gives users more and better control over their information.
Curtin research unlocks supernova stardust secrets
CURTIN UNIVERSITY
Curtin University-led research has discovered a rare dust particle trapped in an ancient extra-terrestrial meteorite that was formed by a star other than our sun.
The discovery was made by lead author Dr Nicole Nevill and colleagues during her PhD studies at Curtin, now working at the Lunar and Planetary Science Institute in collaboration with NASA’s Johnson Space Centre.
Meteorites are mostly made up of material that formed in our solar system and can also contain tiny particles which originate from stars born long before our sun.
Clues that these particles, known as presolar grains, are relics from other stars are found by analysing the different types of elements inside them.
Dr Nevill used a technique called atom probe tomography to analyse the particle and reconstruct the chemistry on an atomic scale, accessing the hidden information within.
“These particles are like celestial time capsules, providing a snapshot into the life of their parent star,” Dr Nevill said.
“Material created in our solar system have predictable ratios of isotopes – variants of elements with different numbers of neutrons. The particle that we analysed has a ratio of magnesium isotopes that is distinct from anything in our solar system.
“The results were literally off the charts. The most extreme magnesium isotopic ratio from previous studies of presolar grains was about 1,200. The grain in our study has a value of 3,025, which is the highest ever discovered.
“This exceptionally high isotopic ratio can only be explained by formation in a recently discovered type of star – a hydrogen burning supernova.”
Co-author Dr David Saxey, from the John de Laeter Centre at Curtin said the research is breaking new ground in how we understand the universe, pushing the boundaries of both analytical techniques and astrophysical models.
“The atom probe has given us a whole level of detail that we haven’t been able to access in previous studies,” Dr Saxey said.
“Hydrogen burning supernova is a type of star that has only been discovered recently, around the same time as we were analysing the tiny dust particle. The use of the atom probe in this study, gives a new level of detail helping us understand how these stars formed.”
Co-author Professor Phil Bland, from Curtin’s School of Earth and Planetary Sciences said new discoveries from studying rare particles in meteorites are enabling us to gain insights into cosmic events beyond our solar system.
“It is simply amazing to be able to link atomic-scale measurements in the lab to a recently discovered type of star.”
The research titled “Atomic-scale Element and Isotopic Investigation of 25Mg-rich Stardust from an H-burning Supernova” will appear in the Astrophysical Journal and will be available here once published.
Atomic-scale Element and Isotopic Investigation of 25Mg-rich Stardust from an H-burning Supernova
ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE
27-Mar-2024
ALMA finds new molecular signposts in starburst galaxy
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF NATURAL SCIENCES
The ALMA radio telescope has detected more than 100 molecular species, including many indicative of different star formation and evolution processes, in a galaxy where stars are forming much more actively than in the Milky Way. This is far more molecules than were found in previous studies. Now the team will try to apply this knowledge to other galaxies.
A team of researchers led by Sergio Martin of the European Southern Observatory/Joint ALMA Observatory, Nanase Harada of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, and Jeff Mangum of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory used ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) to observe the center of a galaxy known as NGC 253. NGC 253 is located about 10 million light-years away in the direction of the constellation Sculptor. NGC 253 is an example of a starburst galaxy, a galaxy where many new stars are forming rapidly. The factors leading to the onset of a starburst are still not well understood.
The birth, evolution, and death of stars change the molecular composition of the surrounding gas. ALMA’s high sensitivity and high resolution allowed astronomers to determine the locations of molecules indicative of the various stages in the life cycle of stars. This survey, dubbed ALCHEMI (ALMA Comprehensive High-resolution Extragalactic Molecular Inventory), found high-density molecular gas that is likely promoting active star formation in this galaxy. The amount of dense gas in the center of NGC 253 turned out to be more than 10 times higher than that in the center of the Milky Way, which could explain why NGC 253 is forming stars about 30 times more efficiently.
The ALCHEMI survey also provided an atlas of 44 molecular species, doubling the number available from previous studies outside the Milky Way. By applying a machine-learning technique to this atlas, the researchers were able to identify which molecules serve as the best signposts to trace the story of star formation from the beginning to the end. This knowledge will help in planning future ALMA observations.
The ALCHEMI Atlas: Principal Component Analysis Reveals Starburst Evolution in NGC 253
New image of the center of our Milky Way: Spiral magnetic fields surround black hole Sagittarius A*
Global astronomy research network EHT analyzes data from another series of observations
GOETHE UNIVERSITY FRANKFURT
FRANKFURT. In 2022, scientists of the EHT unveiled the first image of Sgr A* – which is approximately 27,000 light-years away from Earth – revealing that the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole looks remarkably similar to M87’s, even though it is more than a thousand times smaller and less massive. This made scientists wonder whether the two shared common traits outside of their looks. To find out, the team decided to study Sgr A* in polarized light. Previous studies of light around M87* had shown that the magnetic fields around the gigantic black hole allowed it to launch powerful jets of material back into the surrounding environment. Building on this work, the new images revealed that the same may be true for Sgr A*.
Imaging black holes, especially Sgr A*, in polarized light is not easy, because the ionized gas, or plasma, in the vicinity of the black hole orbits it in only a few minutes. Because the particles of the plasma swirl around the magnetic field lines, the magnetic field structures change rapidly during the recording of the radio waves by the EHT. Sophisticated instruments and techniques were required to capture the image the supermassive black hole.
Professor Luciano Rezzolla, theoretical astrophysicist at Goethe University Frankfurt, explains: "Polarized radio waves are influenced by magnetic fields and by studying the degree of polarization of the observed light we can learn how the magnetic fields of the black hole are distributed. However, unlike a standard image, which needs only information on the intensity of the light, creating a polarization map as the one we have just published is considerably harder. Indeed, our polarized image of Sgr A* is the result of a careful comparison between the actual measurements and the hundreds of thousands of possible images we can produce via advanced supercomputer simulations. Similar to the first image of Sgr A*, these polarized images represent an average of all measurements."
Rezzolla’s fellow Project Scientist Geoffrey Bower from the Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taiwan adds, “Making a polarized image is like opening the book after you have only seen the cover. Because Sgr A* moves around while we try to take its picture, it was difficult to construct even the unpolarized image,” adding that the first image was an average of multiple images due to Sgr A*’s movement. “We were relieved that polarized imaging was even possible. Some models were far too scrambled and turbulent to construct a polarized image, but nature was not so cruel.”
“By imaging polarized light from hot glowing gas near black holes, we are directly inferring the structure and strength of the magnetic fields that thread the flow of gas and matter that the black hole feeds on and ejects,” said Harvard Black Hole Initiative Fellow and project co-lead Angelo Ricarte. “Polarized light teaches us a lot more about the astrophysics, the properties of the gas, and mechanisms that take place as a black hole feeds.”
Sara Issaoun, NASA Hubble Fellowship Program Einstein Fellow at the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian and co-lead of the project, says “Along with Sgr A* having a strikingly similar polarization structure to that seen in the much larger and more powerful M87* black hole, we’ve learned that strong and ordered magnetic fields are critical to how black holes interact with the gas and matter around them.”
Mariafelicia De Laurentis, EHT Deputy Project Scientist and professor at the University of Naples Federico II, Italy, also emphasizes the significance of the similarity between the magnetic field structures of M87* and Sgr A*, suggesting universal processes governing black hole feeding and jet launching despite differences in their properties. This finding enhances theoretical models and simulations, refining our understanding of black hole dynamics near the event horizon.
The Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration
The EHT has conducted several observations since 2017 and is scheduled to observe Sgr A* again in April 2024. Each year, the images improve as the EHT incorporates new telescopes, larger bandwidth, and new observing frequencies. Planned expansions for the next decade will enable high-fidelity movies of Sgr A*, may reveal a hidden jet, and could allow astronomers to observe similar polarization features in other black holes. Meanwhile, extending the EHT into space will provide sharper images of black holes than ever before.
The EHT collaboration involves more than 300 researchers from Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and South America. The international collaboration is working to capture the most detailed black hole images ever obtained by creating a virtual Earth-sized telescope. Supported by considerable international investment, the EHT links existing telescopes using novel systems — creating a fundamentally new instrument with the highest angular resolving power that has yet been achieved.
The individual telescopes involved in the EHT in April 2017, when the observations were conducted, were: the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment (APEX), the Institut de Radioastronomie Millimetrique (IRAM) 30-meter Telescope, the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT), the Large Millimeter Telescope Alfonso Serrano (LMT), the Submillimeter Array (SMA), the UArizona AROSubmillimeter Telescope (SMT), the South Pole Telescope (SPT). Since then, the EHT has added the Greenland Telescope (GLT), the IRAM NOrthern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA) and the UArizona 12-meter Telescope on Kitt Peak to its network.
The EHT consortium consists of 13 stakeholder institutes: the Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, the University of Arizona, the University of Chicago, the East Asian Observatory, Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt, Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique, Large Millimeter Telescope, Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, MIT Haystack Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Radboud University and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.
) EHT collaboration: First Sagittarius A* Event Horizon Telescope Results. VII. Polarization of the Ring.
ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE
27-Mar-2024
Astronomers unveil strong magnetic fields spiraling at the edge of Milky Way’s central black hole
ESO
A new image from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration has uncovered strong and organised magnetic fields spiraling from the edge of the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*). Seen in polarised light for the first time, this new view of the monster lurking at the heart of the Milky Way galaxy has revealed a magnetic field structure strikingly similar to that of the black hole at the centre of the M87 galaxy, suggesting that strong magnetic fields may be common to all black holes. This similarity also hints toward a hidden jet in Sgr A*. The results were published today in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
In 2022 scientists unveiled the first image of Sgr A* at press conferences around the world, including at the European Southern Observatory (ESO). While the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole, which is roughly 27 000 light-years away from Earth, is more than a thousand times smaller and less massive than M87’s, the first-ever black hole imaged, the observations revealed that the two look remarkably similar. This made scientists wonder whether the two shared common traits outside of their looks. To find out, the team decided to study Sgr A* in polarised light. Previous studies of light around the M87 black hole (M87*) revealed that the magnetic fields around it allowed the black hole to launch powerful jets of material back into the surrounding environment. Building on this work, the new images have revealed that the same may be true for Sgr A*.
“What we’re seeing now is that there are strong, twisted, and organised magnetic fields near the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way galaxy,” said Sara Issaoun, NASA Hubble Fellowship Program Einstein Fellow at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, US, and co-lead of the project. “Along with Sgr A* having a strikingly similar polarisation structure to that seen in the much larger and more powerful M87* black hole, we’ve learned that strong and ordered magnetic fields are critical to how black holes interact with the gas and matter around them.”
Light is an oscillating, or moving, electromagnetic wave that allows us to see objects. Sometimes, light oscillates in a preferred orientation, and we call it ‘polarised’. Although polarised light surrounds us, to human eyes it is indistinguishable from ‘normal’ light. In the plasma around these black holes, particles whirling around magnetic field lines impart a polarisation pattern perpendicular to the field. This allows astronomers to see in increasingly vivid detail what’s happening in black hole regions and map their magnetic field lines.
“By imaging polarised light from hot glowing gas near black holes, we are directly inferring the structure and strength of the magnetic fields that thread the flow of gas and matter that the black hole feeds on and ejects,” said Harvard Black Hole Initiative Fellow and project co-lead Angelo Ricarte. “Polarised light teaches us a lot more about the astrophysics, the properties of the gas, and mechanisms that take place as a black hole feeds.”
But imaging black holes in polarised light isn’t as easy as putting on a pair of polarised sunglasses, and this is particularly true of Sgr A*, which is changing so fast that it doesn’t sit still for pictures. Imaging the supermassive black hole requires sophisticated tools above and beyond those previously used for capturing M87*, a much steadier target. EHT Project Scientist Geoffrey Bower from the Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei said, “Because Sgr A* moves around while we try to take its picture, it was difficult to construct even the unpolarised image,” adding that the first image was an average of multiple images owing to Sgr A*’s movement. “We were relieved that polarised imaging was even possible. Some models were far too scrambled and turbulent to construct a polarised image, but Nature was not so cruel.”
Mariafelicia De Laurentis, EHT Deputy Project Scientist and professor at the University of Naples Federico II, Italy, said, “With a sample of two black holes — with very different masses and very different host galaxies — it’s important to determine what they agree and disagree on. Since both are pointing us toward strong magnetic fields, it suggests that this may be a universal and perhaps fundamental feature of these kinds of systems. One of the similarities between these two black holes might be a jet, but while we’ve imaged a very obvious one in M87*, we’ve yet to find one in Sgr A*.”
To observe Sgr A*, the collaboration linked eight telescopes around the world to create a virtual Earth-sized telescope, the EHT. The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), in which ESO is a partner, and the ESO-hosted Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX), both in northern Chile, were part of the network that made the observations, conducted in 2017.
"As the largest and most powerful of the telescopes in the EHT, ALMA played a key role in making this image possible,” says ESO’s María Díaz Trigo, European ALMA Programme Scientist. “ALMA is now planning an ‘extreme makeover’, the Wideband Sensitivity Upgrade, which will make ALMA even more sensitive and keep it a fundamental player in future EHT observations of Sgr A* and other black holes."
The EHT has conducted several observations since 2017 and is scheduled to observe Sgr A* again in April 2024. Each year, the images improve as the EHT incorporates new telescopes, larger bandwidth, and new observing frequencies. Planned expansions for the next decade will enable high-fidelity movies of Sgr A*, may reveal a hidden jet, and could allow astronomers to observe similar polarisation features in other black holes. Meanwhile, extending the EHT into space would provide sharper images of black holes than ever before.
More information
This research was presented in two papers by the EHT collaboration published today in The Astrophysical Journal Letters: "First Sagittarius A* Event Horizon Telescope Results. VII. Polarization of the Ring" and "First Sagittarius A* Event Horizon Telescope Results. VIII.: Physical interpretation of the polarized ring"
The EHT collaboration involves more than 300 researchers from Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and South America. The international collaboration is working to capture the most detailed black hole images ever obtained by creating a virtual Earth-sized telescope. Supported by considerable international investment, the EHT links existing telescopes using novel systems — creating a fundamentally new instrument with the highest angular resolving power that has yet been achieved.
The individual telescopes involved in the EHT in April 2017, when the observations were conducted, were: the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment (APEX), the Institut de Radioastronomie Millimetrique (IRAM) 30-meter Telescope, the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT), the Large Millimeter Telescope Alfonso Serrano (LMT), the Submillimeter Array (SMA), the UArizona Submillimeter Telescope (SMT), and the South Pole Telescope (SPT). Since then, the EHT has added the Greenland Telescope (GLT), the IRAM NOrthern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA) and the UArizona 12-meter Telescope on Kitt Peak to its network.
The EHT consortium consists of 13 stakeholder institutes: the Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, the University of Arizona, the University of Chicago, the East Asian Observatory, Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt, Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique, Large Millimeter Telescope, Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, MIT Haystack Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Radboud University and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.
The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), an international astronomy facility, is a partnership of ESO, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan in cooperation with the Republic of Chile. ALMA is funded by ESO on behalf of its Member States, by NSF in cooperation with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) in Taiwan and by NINS in cooperation with the Academia Sinica (AS) in Taiwan and the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI). ALMA construction and operations are led by ESO on behalf of its Member States; by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), managed by Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI), on behalf of North America; and by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) on behalf of East Asia. The Joint ALMA Observatory (JAO) provides the unified leadership and management of the construction, commissioning and operation of ALMA.
Next mission to space station carries research on vision loss treatments and earth-viewing technology
Cartilage repair, retinal gene therapies, neurological disease treatments, and technology testing on external platforms among investigations flying on NASA’s SpaceX CRS-30
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION U.S. NATIONAL LABORATORY
CAPE CANAVERAL (FL), March 21, 2024 – The next resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will carry more than 40 payloads sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory®, including in-space production applications projects, technology demonstrations, life science experiments, and student-led inquiries. These investigations, launching on SpaceX’s 30th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission, funded by NASA, aim to improve life on Earth through space-based research and foster a sustainable economy in low Earth orbit (LEO).
Below highlights a sample of those payloads, and findings could lead to advances in technology for future spaceflight and the development of novel therapeutics for use both on Earth and in space.
Redwire Corporation is partnering with pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly & Company and Butler University for two investigations leveraging Redwire’s Pharmaceutical In-space Laboratory (PIL-BOX), a platform to crystallize organic molecules in microgravity. Results from this research could lead to improved therapeutics to treat an array of conditions. This research continues Eli Lilly’s space journey, as the company has launched a variety of investigations to the orbiting laboratory over the years for the benefit of patient care on Earth.
A collaboration between Boeing and CSIRO (an Australian government agency responsible for scientific research) will test the ability of a Multi-Resolution Scanner to create 3D maps of the space station. To do this, the project will use Astrobee, an autonomous free-flying robotic system on station. This scanner technology could be useful in future exploration efforts and in remote environments for manufacturing and maintenance tasks, such as identifying leaks or checking for damage to systems.
The National Stem Cell Foundation will continue to examine the mechanisms behind neuroinflammation, a common feature of neurodegenerative diseases. To carry out this study, the research team created 3D brain models derived from induced pluripotent stem cells of patients with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases as well as primary progressive multiple sclerosis.
Airbus U.S. Space & Defense is launching an enhancement to the station’s Bartolomeo platform. Called ArgUS, the external mechanical platform has added capabilities for hosting payloads in LEO. Once ArgUS is installed, it will host multiple payloads on this mission, including SpaceTV-1, an optical video system designed to livestream high-definition views of Earth and the space station.
A project from the University of Connecticut will examine the feasibility of producing Janus base nanomaterials in microgravity that could help repair cartilage and reduce joint inflammation. Through this project, researchers aim to advance in-space manufacturing concepts for these materials, which could significantly improve patient care for orthopedic injuries and degenerative joint diseases like arthritis, as there is currently no way to repair damaged cartilage.
Additionally, two investigations flying on NASA’s SpaceX CRS-30 mission were selected through the Technology in Space Prize, funded by Boeing and the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space™ (CASIS™), manager of the ISS National Lab, as part of the MassChallenge startup accelerator program.
An investigation from biopharmaceutical company Oculogenex will use the space station to test a novel gene therapy to prevent and possibly even reverse vision loss from age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Findings will help advance the company’s therapeutic, which can potentially treat AMD-related symptoms in millions of Americans.
A project from biomedical startup Encapsulate aims to leverage the microgravity environment of the space station to validate an automated tumor-on-a-chip system that grows patient-derived cancer cells to test chemotherapy drugs. The company seeks to use precision diagnostics for personalized cancer treatments.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will launch these investigations and more no earlier than Thursday, March 21, 2024, at 4:55 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Researchers briefed media on select payloads during a recent webinar, and the recording can be viewed on our launch page.