Why are scientists shooting mushrooms into space? - Shannon Odell

翻译人员: Tong PL 校对人员: Sue Lu

Floating 350 kilometers above the Earth's surface,

漂浮于地球表面 350 公里之上，

astronauts aboard the Soviet space station Mir made a frightening discovery.

苏联和平号空间站上的宇航员 发现了一个可怕的情况。

Their once clear porthole was clouded with a green and black web-like substance.

他们曾经清澈的舷窗被一种 绿色与黑色的网状物质遮蔽。

Soon, these growths were found throughout the shuttle,

很快，航天飞机上到处都是这些生长物，

blanketing air conditioners and corroding control panels,

覆盖了空调，腐蚀了控制面板，

putting both the station's integrity and the astronauts' lives at risk.

使得空间站的完整性以及 宇航员的生命陷入危险之中。

The invaders were identified as several species of Earth-derived fungi

入侵者被确定为几种来自地球的真菌，

that had, against all odds, survived the journey to space.

在困难重重的太空之旅中幸存下来，

And once there, they'd adapted to the microgravity

适应了微重力

and radiation-dense environment.

和辐射密集的环境。

Thankfully, the crew managed to keep these threats at bay,

庆幸的是，宇航员们 成功地控制住了这些威胁，

and Mir remained in orbit for the next 13 years.

和平号在接下来的 13 年里 一直在轨道上运行。

During that time, scientists have learned that fungi have the potential

在此期间，科学家们了解到真菌

not to hinder space travel, but to help it.

不仅不会阻碍太空旅行， 反而可能对其有所帮助。

In fact, these resilient, often overlooked organisms

实际上，这些有韧性、经常被忽视的生物

may be the key to our future on other planets.

可能是我们未来在 其他星球上发展的关键。

Once outside the Earth's protective magnetic field,

一旦离开地球的保护磁场，

most living things need serious protection

大多数生物都需要严谨的保护

to survive the DNA-damaging cosmic radiation in space.

才能在太空中破坏 DNA 的 宇宙辐射中存活。

But that's not the case for some fungi.

但有些真菌并非如此。

Many species produce a unique form of melanin,

许多物种会生产一种独特的黑色素，

a pigment that safely absorbs high levels of radiation

这种色素可以安全地吸收高辐射，

and, in some cases, uses this energy to fuel growth.

并在某些情况下， 利用这种能量来促进生长。

Even if dangerous levels of radiation make it past this homegrown armor

即使危险水平的辐射穿透这种自制护甲

to damage DNA,

损伤到DNA，

many fungi have robust repair systems that spring into action,

许多真菌都有强大的 修复系统，可以立即启动，

cutting out and restoring defective sequences.

切除并恢复有缺陷的DNA序列。

And radiation isn't the only cosmic element fungi can withstand.

辐射并不是真菌 唯一能承受的宇宙元素。

Their hardy spores sport thick cell walls

它们的耐寒孢子具有厚厚的细胞壁，

that allow them to survive extreme temperatures.

让它们能够生存于极端的温度中。

So, how might we utilize fungi in space?

那么，我们应该如何 在太空中利用真菌呢？

Well, a big obstacle to settling on other planets

定居在其他星球上的一大障碍

is figuring out how to source the materials

是需要弄清如何获得

needed to build suitable habitats.

建造合适栖息地所需的材料。

There are two common solutions.

有两种常见的解决方案。

First, we could send these supplies up from Earth.

首先，我们可以从地球输送这些补给。

But this is expensive—

但这种方式是昂贵的——

it costs roughly $10,000 for each kilogram of weight added to a launch.

火箭发射时，每增加一千克重量 就要花费大约 1 万美元。

Alternatively, we could use what's already there.

或者，我们可以就地取材。

Homes could be built from the dust and fragmented rock

房屋建造可以利用风化层——

that coat the surface of other planets, which is called regolith.

覆盖在其他行星表面的尘埃和碎片岩石。

Yet this would require a shipment of large, heavy, energy-intensive machinery

然而，这将需要运送一批 大型、沉重、耗能的机器

to collect, heat, and compact the loose regolith into something usable.

用来收集、加热松散的风化层， 并将其压缩成可用的材料。

That's where fungi come in.

这就是真菌的用武之地。

Most fungi have hair-like root structures called mycelia.

大多数真菌都有 发状根部结构，称为菌丝体。

And as they grow, they easily bind nearby materials,

在生长过程中，它们可以轻易 与附近的材料结合，

whether it be wood chips, sawdust, or regolith.

无论是木片、锯木屑还是风化层。

The result is a dense, interconnected web

这一结合形成了一个 密集、互联的网状结构物，

that makes a surprisingly durable building material

出人意料的耐用，可用作建筑材料，

that's both thermal and radiation protective.

既能隔热也能防辐射。

Scientists working with NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts program

参与美国宇航局（NASA） 创新高级概念计划的科学家，

have devised plans for using this technology

已经制定了使用这项技术的计划，

to grow fungal homes on other planets.

即在其他星球上发展真菌房屋。

First, lightweight, flexible bags seeded with dehydrated spores

首先，将装有脱水孢子的轻便柔性袋子

are launched to their new home.

发射到它们的新家。

Once they've arrived, accompanying rovers source water for rehydration

它们到达之后，随行的探测车 会寻找水源进行补水，

and regolith for binding.

寻找风化层进行结合织网。

Alternatively, the bags could be preseeded with a lightweight binding material,

或者，这些袋子可以预先 加入轻质的结合材料，

like dehydrated wood chips.

例如脱水木片。

And there's another essential ingredient to these packages, cyanobacteria,

这些包装中还有另一种 必不可少的成分 —— 蓝藻，

which provide the fungi with nutrients and convert sunlight into oxygen.

它为真菌提供营养， 并将阳光转化为氧气。

The mycelia grow to fit the shape of their bags,

菌丝体的生长会适应袋子的形状，

creating the walls, roof, and even the furniture of these fungal abodes.

形成修建真菌住所的墙壁、 屋顶甚至是家具。

Once completed, maintaining these buildings

建成后，维护这些建筑物

would likely be relatively simple,

可能相对简单，

as any cracks could be reseeded and regrown.

因为任何裂缝都能通过 重新播种重新生长来修补。

Scientists could engineer cyanobacteria to alert residents if repair is needed,

科学家们可以改造蓝藻， 用它来提醒居民住所需要维修，

by glowing when oxygen or pressure levels in the habitat dip.

即蓝藻会发光警示 住所氧气或压力水平下降。

Of course, there's still a lot of work out there

当然，还有很多工作要做好了，

before these lightweight habitat packs are ready for launch.

才能发射这些轻便住所建材袋。

In the meantime, researchers have begun to iron out the details

与此同时，研究人员已开始在地球上

by growing these sustainable, carbon-negative fungal habitats

发展这些可持续的、负碳真菌住所，

right here on Earth.

以此来弄清一些细节问题。

And housing is just one of many possible uses for fungi in space.

建造房屋只是太空中 真菌的众多用途之一。

Communities will need to grow their own food,

社区会需要自己种植食物，

yet soil suitable for plants isn't readily available off Earth.

但适合植物生长的土壤 在地球之外并不容易获得。

Fungi can release a variety of chemical-degrading enzymes

真菌可以释放各种降解化学物质的酶，

capable of dissolving carbon-rich asteroids into soil.

能够将碳丰富的小行星溶解成土壤。

And they can also be engineered to mine and extract metals,

而且，它们也能够被改造 以开采与提取金属，

like aluminum and iron,

例如铝和铁，

which could allow space colonies to source these valuable ores locally.

从而让太空殖民地 在当地就能获取这些宝贵矿石。

Fungi have come a long way from their space hazard beginnings

从作为太空危害起始， 真菌发展走过了漫长的道路，

and will undoubtedly continue to break the mold.

毫无疑问，它们将继续打破常规。