Hey there, future scientists! 👋 Did you know that some tiny worms are about to become astronauts? 🪱🚀
China’s space station is getting ready to welcome planaria—amazing flatworms that can regrow their own bodies! Imagine if you could regrow a lost arm or leg—that’s what planaria can do! Isn’t that cool?
These incredible creatures are being sent to space to help scientists learn more about how being in space affects their ability to regenerate. In space, there’s no gravity like on Earth, so things work differently. By studying planaria in space, scientists hope to discover new things about how cells grow and heal.
But planaria aren’t the first animals China has sent to space. Remember zebrafish? 🐟 They have genes that are a lot like humans—87% the same! Studying zebrafish helps scientists understand how space affects us too. And fruit flies 🪰 have also been space travelers. Scientists learned that living in microgravity changes how they move and even how they behave!
So why is this important? Well, by understanding how living things change in space, we can learn how to keep astronauts healthy on long space trips. Plus, it might help us find new ways to heal injuries here on Earth!
Isn’t science amazing? Who knows—you might be the next scientist to send something into space! 🌟
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
