Scientists wanted to know how life in orbit affects the regeneration of worms.
Scientists wanted to know how life in orbit affects the regeneration of worms. For this 15 planarian Dugesia japonica was brought to the ISS on 10 January 2015 on the spacecraft Dragon. Previously animals were removed heads and tails, after which they spent in microgravity and weak geomagnetic fields, five weeks.
The researchers studied invertebrates during the 20 months after they returned from the ISS. They were compared with the planarians from the control group, who all this time remained on the Ground. It turned out that one of the worms formed a second head, which happens very rarely. Thus repeated removal of the heads of the animal led to their recovery.
The team also noted that living in space planarians were identified changes in behaviour and in the composition of the microflora.
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