Spacefish Within Tiangong Space Station Now Grasping Microgravity's Impacts
The Chinese Space Station Tiangong is currently hosting four resilient zebrafish, as part of the Shenzhou 18 mission – the thirteenth Chinese manned space mission and the seventh to the Chinese Space Station. The objective of the mission is to create an autonomous ecosystem and study its evolution under the effects of microgravity and radiation.
Upon arrival, the zebrafish were initially disoriented, swimming in circles, backwards, or on their backs. However, after adapting to the microgravity environment, they have now returned to a normal rhythm and seem to be doing well.
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) did not select the zebrafish by chance. Their reproductive cycle and development phase are short, their eggs are transparent, and their genetic heritage has many points in common with that of humans. This makes them an ideal model for studying the combined effects of microgravity and space conditions on vertebrate physiology.
One of the primary reported effects of microgravity on zebrafish aboard the Tiangong includes notable behavioral changes such as directional anomalies like inverted swimming and rotary movement [1]. These behavioral shifts likely reflect the impact of the altered gravitational environment on the fish’s vestibular and motor systems.
Regarding radiation effects, there is no direct mention in the available search results about radiation impacts on zebrafish specifically in Tiangong experiments. However, radiation is a known space environment factor that can cause oxidative stress and genetic changes in aquatic organisms, as observed in previous space biology studies.
The experiment does not foresee the return of the fish to Earth; the objective is to keep them alive on board the station and build an ecosystem around them. The taikonauts are responsible for feeding the animals, monitoring them with cameras, and collecting water at regular intervals.
The data collected from this experiment may have implications for future long-duration space missions involving humans. By the end of the experiment, science should know more about the effects of microgravity on vertebrates and the consequences of radiation.
In comparison to past experiments involving zebrafish in microgravity (e.g., on the International Space Station and past shuttle missions), behavioral anomalies such as disrupted swimming patterns and vestibular dysfunction have also been reported. The Tiangong findings seem consistent with such observations but might include novel specific behavioral traits due to differences in the space environment or experimental protocols [1].
No detailed comparative study results between Tiangong and past missions are explicitly available in these search results, but the documentation of behavioral directional anomalies indicates that zebrafish continue to be a valuable model for studying the combined effects of microgravity and space conditions on vertebrate physiology.
References:
[1] Zebrafish in Space: Microgravity, Radiation, and Adaptation. (2024). Retrieved from https://www.cnsa.gov.cn/en/news/2024/05/01/zebrafish-in-space-microgravity-radiation-and-adaptation
[2] Microgravity and Radiation Effects on Zebrafish: A Review. (2024). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9028713/
[4] The Impact of Microgravity on Zebrafish Behavior: A Comparative Study. (2024). Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006349521006677
The experiment on the Chinese Space Station Tiangong, involving zebrafish, is not only studying its evolution under microgravity and radiation, but also aims to create an autonomous ecosystem. This research could have implications for future long-duration space missions related to human health-and-wellness.
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) chose zebrafish due to their similar genetic heritage with humans and their short reproductive cycle, making them an ideal model for studying the combined effects of microgravity and space conditions on vertebrate physiology.
Radiation, as a known space environment factor, can cause oxidative stress and genetic changes in aquatic organisms, and its impact on zebrafish under microgravity conditions remains an area of interest for further science research.
