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A frilly little desert moss can survive freezing conditions , dehydration and enough radiation to kill a human 1,000 time over , scientists have observe .
This moss , namedSyntrichia caninervis , lives in harsh environments across the planet , from the Mojave Desert to Antarctica . Now , a new study finds that it could live in even nastier precondition . When subjected to a week in an environment like the surface of Mars , the researchers found that the brave moss could bounce back .
Its survival abilities may even outdo those oftardigrades , microscopical " water bear " that can endure in the vacuum of space . The moss is better at handle heat — and can survive even higher doses of radiation — than tardigrades , the researchers articulate after subjecting the little moss to multiple ought - to - be - fateful indignities .
" Our study show that the environmental resiliency ofS. caninervisis superior to some of [ the ] extremely stress - broad microorganisms and tardigrade , " field researchersDaoyuan Zhang , Yuanming ZhangandTingyun Kuang , of the Chinese Academy of Sciences ( CAS ) , wrote in astatement . The researchers print their findings July 1 in the journalThe Innovation .
The team collect the moss from the Gurbantünggüt Desert in northernChina . They first subjugate samples of the moss to virtually - complete atmosphere - drying . Though the dried moss shriveled and rick black , it return to full springy greenness within 20 seconds of rehydration . After 99 % dehydration followed by rehydration , the moss returned to full photosynthetic capacity within two minute , the scientists found .
The moss also showed remarkable resiliency against cold : After 30 day of immersion in liquified nitrogen at minus 320 degrees Fahrenheit ( minus 196 degree Celsius ) , the moss could find and raise new branches . It could also survive for at least five years at minus 112 F ( subtraction 80 C ) . While the moss rebounded fastest if it was dehydrated before freeze out , it could also live on these weather condition if frozen without being dry first .
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Finally , the investigator zapped the moss with massive amounts of Vasco da Gamma radiation . They find that the moss could survive up to 4,000 gray of ionizing radiation without much trouble . For comparison , 4 grey is take a calamitous dose of ionizing radiation for humans . ( A dot of ionise radiation therapy is considered fatal when it kill half of those exposed to it . ) ForS. caninervis , the fateful Elvis is 5,000 grey . Even the intrepid tardigrade tops out at 4,200 gray-haired , the authors wrote .
The moss can also handle hits from multiple stressor at once . The researchers put sample distribution in the CAS Planetary Atmospheres Simulation Facility , which mimics the atmosphere of Mars in surface pressure , temperature , petrol composition and radiation . After seven days in this environs — mostly carbon dioxide , with temperature swings straddle from minus 76 F ( minus 60 C ) to 68 F ( 20 ascorbic acid ) and hazardous level of radiation — the moss still bounced back , recovering and growing young offset after 15 24-hour interval back in Earth - similar stipulation .
The finding suggest that the moss could be used in attempt to terraform Mars by premise plant life that can pull through its harsh environment and create a more Earth - like control surface and air , the researcher write .
