China has successfully conducted experiments with fruit flies on its space station, marking a significant milestone in the study of microgravity effects on living organisms. The crew completed tasks such as collecting, cultivating, and analyzing the fruit flies’ behavior while in space.
According to researchers, fruit flies are ideal subjects for scientific studies due to their small size, fast reproduction cycle, and genetic similarities to humans. By studying the fruit flies’ response to microgravity and hypomagnetic fields, scientists aim to gain insights into human genetics and adaptation to space environments.
The experiment involved dividing the fruit flies into two groups: one in a microgravity environment and the other in a magnetic shielding device, exposed to both microgravity and hypomagnetic fields. The results showed that the fruit flies quickly adapted to their new surroundings, with some even learning to “swim like frogs” in space.
This experiment is significant as it marks China’s first successful reproduction of fruit flies in space, with the potential to become the first species to reproduce for three generations aboard the space station. After returning to Earth, researchers will analyze the behavior and gene expression of the fruit flies during their time in space to uncover the effects of microgravity and hypomagnetic fields on animal behavior.
The study has implications for future human exploration of space, particularly on the Moon where gravity is only one-sixth that of Earth and the magnetic field is weak. Researchers hope to determine whether animals can reproduce across generations on the Moon, with fruit flies serving as pioneers in humanity’s space exploration endeavors.
Source: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202501/1326295.shtml