Why are scientists shooting mushrooms into space?

Recommendable!

Unravelling the chemistry of the interstellar medium in a laboratory on Earth

Amazing stuff!

"Despite all appearances, the space between stars, known as the interstellar medium, is anything but empty. Atoms, ions, and molecules reside in this freezing, low-pressure environment. ..."

"... Interstellar Medium (ISM). The ISM has fascinated scientists for decades, as at least 200 unique molecules form in its cold, low-pressure environment. It’s a subject that ties together the fields of chemistry, physics, and astronomy, as scientists from each field work to determine what types of chemical reactions happen there. ...

From their experiments, the researchers resolved chemical dynamics in ion-neutral reactions by using precise laser cooling and mass spectrometry to control quantum states, thereby allowing them to emulate ISM chemical reactions successfully. Their work brings scientists closer to answering some of the most profound questions about the chemical development of the cosmos. ...
Besides trap filtration and Doppler cooling, the researchers' third experimental technique helped them emulate the ISM reactions: their time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) setup. In this part of the experiment, a high-voltage pulse accelerated the ions down a flight tube, where they collided with a microchannel plate detector. The researchers could determine which particles were present in the trap based on the time it took for the ions to hit the plate and their imaging techniques. ..."

From the abstract:

"Coulomb crystals provide a unique environment in which to study ion-neutral gas-phase reactions. In these cold, trapped ensembles, we are able to study the kinetics and dynamics of small molecular systems. These measurements have connections to chemistry in the Interstellar Medium (ISM) and planetary atmospheres. This Feature Article will describe recent work in our laboratory that uses Coulomb crystals to study translationally cold, ion-neutral reactions. We provide a description of how the various affordances of our experimental system allow for detailed studies of the reaction mechanisms and the corresponding products. In particular, we will describe quantum-state resolved reactions, isomer-dependent reactions, and reactions with a rarely studied, astrophysically relevant ion, CCl+."

Unravelling the chemistry of the interstellar medium on Earth

Cold Coulomb Crystals, Cosmic Clues: Unraveling the Mysteries of Space Chemistry (original news release)

Cold Ion–Molecule Reactions in the Extreme Environment of a Coulomb Crystal (no public access, but link to first article above contains a link to the PDF)

Mouse embryos successfully grown in space for the first time

Are we getting ready to colonize other planets or the moon? Or are we getting closer to an extended multi generational space Odyssey? 

Happy proliferation in space with minimal risks of overpopulation! (Caution: Satire)

"Highlights

• Mouse 2-cell embryos can develop into blastocysts under microgravity

• Gravity did not affect initial differentiation of mammalian embryos

• Mammals can thrive in space

Summary

Mammalian embryos differentiate into the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm at the 8–16 cell stage. The ICM forms a single cluster that develops into a single fetus. However, the factors that determine differentiation and single cluster formation are unknown. Here we investigated whether embryos could develop normally without gravity. As the embryos cannot be handled by an untrained astronaut, a new device was developed for this purpose. Using this device, two-cell frozen mouse embryos launched to the International Space Station were thawed and cultured by the astronauts under microgravity for 4 days. The embryos cultured under microgravity conditions developed into blastocysts with normal cell numbers, ICM, trophectoderm, and gene expression profiles similar to those cultured under artificial-1 g control on the International Space Station and ground-1 g control, which clearly demonstrated that gravity had no significant effect on the blastocyst formation and initial differentiation of mammalian embryos."

Mouse embryos successfully grown in space for the first time

Effect of microgravity on mammalian embryo development evaluated at the International Space Station (open access)

Graphical abstract

Webb Space Telescope makes first detection of crucial carbon molecule in a planet-forming disc

Amazing stuff! We are not alone!

"... The CH3+ signal was detected in the star-protoplanetary disc system known as d203-506, which is located about 1350 light years away, in the Orion Nebula. Whilst the star in d203-506 is a small red dwarf star, with a mass only about a tenth of the Sun’s, the system is bombarded by strong ultraviolet radiation from nearby hot, young, massive stars. Scientists believe that most planet-forming protoplanetary disks go through a period of such intense ultraviolet radiation, since stars tend to form in groups that often include massive, ultraviolet-producing stars. Fascinatingly, evidence from meteorites suggest that the protoplanetary disc that went on to form our Solar System was also subject to a vast amount of ultraviolet radiation ..."

ESA - Webb makes first detection of crucial carbon molecule in a planet-forming disc An international team of scientists have used data collected by the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope to detect a molecule [1] known as the methyl cation (CH3+) for the first time, located in the protoplanetary disc surrounding a young star. They accomplished this feat with a cross-disciplinary expert analysis, including key input from laboratory spectroscopists. 

Webb studies the Orion Nebula

Huge Water Reservoir Found on Moon: Human Life Next? with Palki Sharma

Amazing stuff! Discovered by Chinese scientists! What took so long?

Microbes could be used to extract metals and minerals from space rocks

Why limit ourselves to space rocks? What about rocks on planet earth?

I believe this kind of research has been going on for decades, but hopefully we will see more practical applications!

"The team ... suggests that microbes could help accelerate mining on extraterrestrial bodies by as much as 400%, helping to separate metal powders and valuable minerals from other useful elements like oxygen. The fact that [bacteria] seem able to withstand microgravity suggests these microbes could be a potentially cheap way to extract resources to make life in space more sustainable—and enable lengthy journeys and settlements on distant worlds."

Microbes could be used to extract metals and minerals from space rocks | MIT Technology Review New experiments on the International Space Station suggest that future space miners could use bacteria to acquire valuable resources. A species of bacteria can successfully pull out rare Earth elements from rocks, even in microgravity environments, a study on the International Space Station has found.

Here is the respective research article:

Space station biomining experiment demonstrates rare earth element extraction in microgravity and Mars gravity These data demonstrate the potential for space biomining and the principles of a reactor to advance human industry and mining beyond Earth.