The astronaut Thomas Pesquet brings an extremely strange creature with him on board the ISS: bizarre single-celled organisms called "Blob".
Update from Friday,
April 23rd, 2021
:
The Frenchman Thomas Pesquet and three other astronauts: inside, took a “Dragon” space capsule from SpaceX to the International Space Station - with them in their luggage: several “blobs”.
The mysterious unicellular organisms from Earth are to be examined under the force of gravity on the ISS.
The “blob” has neither brain nor eyes, limbs or a stomach - but a kind of “memory”.
In addition, the unicellular organism can adapt its behavior, move in a maze or solve problems.
Researchers want to know whether the "blob" behaves differently in space than it does on Earth and how the radiation in space affects its development.
Thomas Pesquet is to carry out two experiments with the "blobs".
Mysterious being from Earth travels to the ISS: “Blob” in the luggage of astronaut Thomas Pesquet
First report on Friday, March 19, 2021:
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 unicellular organism 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 Myxogastria (real slime mold) group.
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 / with material from afp)