An extremely strange creature will find its way onto the ISS: the astronaut Thomas Pesquet is supposed to bring several "blobs" to the space station in April - very bizarre single-cell organisms.
After the astronauts discovered bacteria on the International Space Station (ISS) in the past, which they probably unknowingly brought into space themselves, an astronaut will soon be deliberately bringing small creatures with them to the ISS.
The French Thomas Pesquet is said to have several specimens of a single cell called "Blob" in his luggage on his journey into space, which is due to start on April 22nd.
It is a mysterious being with the scientific name
Physarum polycephalum
or "many-headed slime".
The "blob" appears to be motionless, but actually moves forward by up to one centimeter to the hour when it searches for bacteria, fungal spores or other food.
Physarum polycephalum is a very curious creature: it looks like a yellow, slimy spot.
It doesn't have a brain, eyes, limbs or a stomach - instead the “blob” has a kind of “memory” and can adapt its behavior, solve problems or move around in a maze.
Astronaut Thomas Pesquet brings bizarre single-cell "Blob" to the ISS
The astronaut Pesquet is to research on the ISS whether the "blob" behaves differently in space than on earth.
The researchers are also interested in how weightlessness or radiation in space affect its development.
Pesquet should carry out two experiments: two "blobs" should be observed in an environment without food, two others should have several food sources to choose from.
The "blob" got its strange name from the science fiction horror film "Blob - Horror Without a Name" from 1958. In this film, however, the "blob" is much more dangerous than the little protozoan in reality: In the film it is a extraterrestrial being that invades earth and devours humans.
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The mysterious "blob" can be found in the great outdoors - for example in rotting leaves or tree stumps in a damp and cool environment.
And in future it will also be available on the ISS.
© Stephane de Sakutin / dpa
The real "blob" consists of a single cell, which sometimes has several cell nuclei.
He can reproduce his DNA and divide.
For a long time the "blob" was considered a fungus, since the 1990s it has been included in the group of Myxogastria (real slime molds).
Most “blobs” are yellow, but they are also available in red, white or pink.
They can be found in rotting leaves or tree stumps in damp and cool surroundings.
(Tanja Banner / AFP)