IGNIS Mission: Surprisingly Large Changes in Algae Under Microgravity Conditions

Polish scientists have made a surprising discovery by analyzing algae that returned from the International Space Station (ISS). The experiment named 'Space Volcanic Algae', conducted by astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski as part of the Polish IGNIS mission, showed that the differences between organisms exposed to microgravity and the control group on Earth are enormous. „The differences between the algae samples sent to the ISS as part of the IGNIS mission and the comparative samples that remained on Earth are much larger than we expected.” — Ewa Borowska Research on the impact of microgravity and cosmic radiation on living organisms has been conducted on the ISS since its launch at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries. Biological experiments in space are crucial for planning long-term crewed missions, for example to Mars. Project lead Ewa Borowska from Extremo Technologies admitted that the scale of the changes surprised the researchers. They concern key aspects of algae functioning, indicating a very strong reaction of the organisms to the conditions in orbit. Although the details of the discoveries have not yet been revealed, preliminary data suggest that microgravity induces much deeper changes in these simple organisms than previously assumed. Such experiments are essential to understand how living organisms adapt to extreme conditions beyond Earth. The discovery has potentially significant application value. Understanding the mechanisms by which algae respond to stress related to microgravity could open new pathways in biotechnology. It is possible that the observed processes will allow for the development of more efficient methods for cultivating microalgae or producing specific bioactive compounds. Furthermore, this research is fundamental for the concept of food production during long-term space missions, where crews would need to partially rely on closed life support systems based on photosynthesis. The 'Space Volcanic Algae' experiment confirms that even simple organisms can serve as a valuable model for studying the impact of the space environment on biology, providing knowledge useful both for space exploration and for advanced technologies on Earth.