Why are scientists shooting mushrooms into space? - Shannon Odell

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: 麗玲 辛

Floating 350 kilometers above the Earth's surface,

飄浮在地球表面上方 三百五十公里時，

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

在蘇聯和平號太空站上的太空人

有個很嚇人的發現。

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

他們本來很清晰的舷窗

被一層綠色和黑色的 網狀物質給覆蓋了。

Soon, these growths were found throughout the shuttle,

沒多久，在太空梭內 處處可見這些增生物，

blanketing air conditioners and corroding control panels,

覆蓋了空調，腐蝕了控制面板，

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

讓太空站的完整性 和太空人的生命受到威脅。

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

入侵者被確認為 是幾種源自地球的真菌，

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

儘管困難重重，它們在前往 太空的旅程中還是存活下來了，

And once there, they'd adapted to the microgravity

到達太空之後，它們就適應了微重力

and radiation-dense environment.

和輻射密集的環境。

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

謝天謝地，組員想辦法 阻擋了這些威脅，

and Mir remained in orbit for the next 13 years.

在接下來的十三年， 和平號一直在軌道上運行。

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

在那段時間，

科學家發現，

真菌很可能成為 太空旅行的助力， 而非阻礙。

not to hinder space travel, but to help it.

In fact, these resilient, often overlooked organisms

事實上，這些有韌性、 常被忽略的生物

may be the key to our future on other planets.

可能是我們在其他星球上 建立未來的關鍵。

Once outside the Earth's protective magnetic field,

一旦離開地球的保護磁場，

most living things need serious protection

大部分生物都需要嚴密的保護

to survive the DNA-damaging cosmic radiation in space.

才能不因太空中會破壞 DNA 的宇宙輻射而喪命。

But that's not the case for some fungi.

但對於某些真菌而言就不同了。

Many species produce a unique form of melanin,

許多種真菌都會產生 一種獨特的黑色素形式，

a pigment that safely absorbs high levels of radiation

這種色素可以安全地 吸收高強度的輻射，

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

在某些情況下，還能 使用這種能量來促進生長。

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

就算輻射達到危險的強度， 能穿透這層自生的防護破壞 DNA，

to damage DNA,

many fungi have robust repair systems that spring into action,

許多真菌有健全的修復系統， 可以迅速啟動，

cutting out and restoring defective sequences.

切斷並修復有缺陷的 DNA 序列。

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

真菌能承受的宇宙元素不只有輻射。

Their hardy spores sport thick cell walls

它們堅韌的孢子有厚厚的細胞壁 ，

that allow them to survive extreme temperatures.

讓孢子在極端溫度下也能生存。

So, how might we utilize fungi in space?

那麼，我們在太空中 能怎麼運用真菌？

Well, a big obstacle to settling on other planets

若要在其他星球上定居，一大障礙

is figuring out how to source the materials

就是得設法找到建造 適當棲息地所需要的材料。

needed to build suitable habitats.

There are two common solutions.

常見的解決方案有兩種。

First, we could send these supplies up from Earth.

第一：補給品可以從地球送上太空。

But this is expensive—

但這很昂貴——

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

發射火箭時，每增加一公斤重量， 成本就要多大約一萬美金。

Alternatively, we could use what's already there.

替代方案是就地取材。

Homes could be built from the dust and fragmented rock

房屋可以用覆蓋行星 表面的塵土和碎岩來建造，

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

也就是所謂的土被。

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

然而，這就會需要一批大型、 沉重、耗能的機械，

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

才能收集鬆散的土被， 將之加溫並壓縮成有用的東西。

That's where fungi come in.

這時就需要真菌了。

Most fungi have hair-like root structures called mycelia.

大部分真菌都有類似 毛髮的根結構，叫做菌絲。

And as they grow, they easily bind nearby materials,

它們在生長過程中， 很容易結合附近的材料，

whether it be wood chips, sawdust, or regolith.

不論是木屑、鋸屑， 或土被，都可以。

The result is a dense, interconnected web

結果會產生相互連結的緊密 網狀結構，可以當作建材，

that makes a surprisingly durable building material

且耐用程度驚人，

that's both thermal and radiation protective.

還有阻擋高熱和輻射的保護作用。

Scientists working with NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts program

美國太空總署 創新先進概念計畫的科學家

have devised plans for using this technology

已經想出一些計畫，可以用這項技術

to grow fungal homes on other planets.

在其他星球上發展出真菌房屋。

First, lightweight, flexible bags seeded with dehydrated spores

首先，將脫水的孢子播種在 輕量且有彈性的袋子裡，

are launched to their new home.

再將袋子發射到新家去。

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

抵達後，隨行探測器 會取得水源將水注入，

and regolith for binding.

並將土被放入，供結合用。

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

另一種方式是事先在袋子裡 種入輕量的結合用材料，

like dehydrated wood chips.

比如脫水的木屑。

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

這袋組合當中還有一個重要成份：

藍藻，

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

藍藻能提供養份給真菌， 並將陽光轉換為氧氣。

The mycelia grow to fit the shape of their bags,

菌絲會成長成符合袋子的形狀，

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

創造出這些真菌住所的 牆壁、屋頂，甚至家具。

Once completed, maintaining these buildings

一旦完成了，

維護這些建築物 可能就相對簡單許多，

would likely be relatively simple,

as any cracks could be reseeded and regrown.

任何裂縫都可以透過重新播種 和重新生長來修補。

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

科學家可以運用藍藻 來警告居民有需要修復的地方，

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

只要藍藻在氧氣或壓力水平下降時 發光，就可以達到此目的。

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

當然，還有很多工作要做， 才有可能發射這種棲息地輕量包。

before these lightweight habitat packs are ready for launch.

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

在此期間，研究人員 已著手解決一些細節問題，

by growing these sustainable, carbon-negative fungal habitats

他們的做法是在地球上培育 這種永續的負碳真菌棲息地。

right here on Earth.

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

建造住房只是真菌 在太空中的用途之一。

Communities will need to grow their own food,

社區會需要自己種植糧食，

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

但在地球以外的地方不容易 取得適合植物生長的土壤。

Fungi can release a variety of chemical-degrading enzymes

真菌可以釋放多種化學降解酶，

capable of dissolving carbon-rich asteroids into soil.

將富含碳的小行星溶解成土壤。

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

也可以把它們改造來 挖掘和提煉金屬，

like aluminum and iron,

如鋁和鐵，

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

這樣，太空殖民地在當地 就有這些寶貴的礦石可以用。

Fungi have come a long way from their space hazard beginnings

從一開始，真菌在太空中造成危機， 到現在，我們已大有進展，

and will undoubtedly continue to break the mold.

且它們肯定會持續 打破常規，不用懷疑。