11/23/2025
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BU2ZBVpse/
Moss survived space.
Scientists placed samples of Physcomitrium patens, a common species of moss, outside the International Space Station for 9 months – exposing it to radiation, freezing temperatures, intense UV light, and the vacuum of space. Then they brought it back to Earth.
Over 80% of the spores survived. Many started reproducing as soon as they returned.
The experiment, conducted in 2022 using an exposure facility on Japan’s Kibo module, tested three different cell types from various stages of the moss’s reproductive cycle. The sporophytes – capsule-like structures that protect spores – showed the most resilience. Researchers believe their spongy outer layers helped shield the spores from light damage and dehydration.
While space severely damaged chlorophyll and other pigments, the spores themselves remained viable. And based on the damage rates, scientists estimate they could survive up to 15 years in space.
That’s longer than many satellites last.
The moss’s ability to recover after prolonged space exposure opens new doors for space biology and future off-Earth ecosystems. Most plant studies in orbit focus on crops or bacteria. Moss offers something different: a lightweight, hardy pioneer that might one day help establish life-supporting systems on the Moon or Mars.
It also raises questions about natural panspermia – the idea that life (or life’s building blocks) might travel between planets, surviving the vacuum of space.
Read the study:
"Extreme environmental tolerance and space survivability of the moss, Physcomitrium patens." iScience, 2025.
