Learn how hardy morning glory seeds' redundant genome and flavonoid-rich coats protect them from radiation
Learn about the hardy seeds of the morning glory plant, which, in experiments conducted by astronauts aboard the International Space Station, were shown to be able to germinate even after having been exposed to the extreme temperatures, ultraviolet radiation, and cosmic radiation of space.
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Transcript
There’s a type of seed from Earth that could survive space travel.
In 2008, researchers put 2,000 seeds of tobacco and Arabidopsis on the outside of the International Space Station.
The seeds were exposed to extreme temperatures, ultraviolet radiation, and cosmic radiation for 558 days. When they were planted back on Earth, a surprising 20% of them could still grow.
Scientists recreated the experiment in a laboratory and also included the seeds of the common morning glory.
All of the morning glories withstood the conditions of the original experiment, so researchers kept increasing the radiation levels. The seeds could handle 30 times more radiation than was lethal for the tobacco and Arabidopsis.
Morning glories have a thick, woody seed coat that contains flavonoids, which protect the embryo from radiation. The plants also have a redundant genome.
This means that their DNA can be damaged but still have all of the genetic information needed for life.
The seeds are so hardy that scientists believe they could survive a trip from Earth to mars – in space!
In 2008, researchers put 2,000 seeds of tobacco and Arabidopsis on the outside of the International Space Station.
The seeds were exposed to extreme temperatures, ultraviolet radiation, and cosmic radiation for 558 days. When they were planted back on Earth, a surprising 20% of them could still grow.
Scientists recreated the experiment in a laboratory and also included the seeds of the common morning glory.
All of the morning glories withstood the conditions of the original experiment, so researchers kept increasing the radiation levels. The seeds could handle 30 times more radiation than was lethal for the tobacco and Arabidopsis.
Morning glories have a thick, woody seed coat that contains flavonoids, which protect the embryo from radiation. The plants also have a redundant genome.
This means that their DNA can be damaged but still have all of the genetic information needed for life.
The seeds are so hardy that scientists believe they could survive a trip from Earth to mars – in space!