Project description:The extent to which plants can enhance human life support on other worlds depends on the ability of plants to thrive in extraterrestrial environments using in situ resources. Using samples from Apollo 11, 12 and 17, we show that the terrestrial plant Arabidopsis thaliana germinates and grows in diverse lunar regoliths. However, our results show that growth is challenging; the lunar regolith plants were slow to develop, expressed genes indicative of ionic stresses, and many showed severe stress morphologies. Therefore, although in situ lunar regolith can be useful for plant production in lunar habitats, they are not benign substrates. The interaction between plants and lunar regolith will need to be further elucidated, and likely mitigated, to enable efficient use of lunar regolith for life support.
Project description:Bone formation, but not resorption, was promoted under lunar gravity, which was suggested to be related to mastication. Appropriate oral and dental management is necessary in lunar life.
Project description:This study underscores the urgent need to understand how lunar regolith dust affects human health, an issue critical for sustaining long-term human presence on the Moon. Past Apollo missions, revealed that lunar dust exposure can trigger allergy-like symptoms, suggesting a biological reactivity that is still poorly understood. Using a 3D human airway model that closely mimics real bronchial tissue, researchers found that lunar regolith simulant (JSC-1) causes unique and early physiological changes that differ significantly from responses to Earth-based dust (PM10). The distinct effects of lunar regolith on mucociliary clearance, barrier integrity, and airway remodeling suggest that cellular and molecular pathways are being activated or suppressed in ways not seen with terrestrial particles. Proteomics can uncover which specific proteins are altered during exposure, providing insight into the mechanisms of toxicity, stress response, and long-term adaptation or damage. Moreover, the data reinforces that terrestrial dust studies are not directly translatable to the lunar context. Therefore, proteomic profiling specific to lunar dust exposure is not just beneficial, it's necessary to develop targeted medical countermeasures, design safer habitats, and support the health of future lunar explorers.
Project description:The samples of gut micorbiota were collected in "Lunar Palace 365" experiment. The "Lunar Palace 365" experiment was a 370-day, multicrew, closed experiment carried out in a ground-based experimental BLSS platform named Lunar Palace 1. Deep metaproteomics data analysis was then performed for better understanding the role of gut micorbiota in mood regulation.