Space-age worms can help humans

By DHARM MAKWANA, 24 HOURS

A microscopic species of worm may hold the key to human exploration of outer space.

SFU scientist Dr. Bob Johnsen is in the first phase of examining mutations of more than 100,000 C. elegans, a microscopic worm invisible to the naked eye, but with a genetic makeup remarkably similar to the human genome.

An original sample of 1,000 worms spawned 25 generations, which were exposed to 27 times the Earth's radiation level over six months on the International Space Station.

Johnsen's research should result in a model to gauge how astronauts will respond to the same high level of radiation over a long period of time.

"When they do want to send people to the moon and to Mars ... they're going to be out there for a long time in hard radiation," Johnsen said. "So this is an initial study of what's going to happen."

He believes his findings could be used to develop forms of medication for astronauts in treating effects of radiation.

Johnsen added his study is an exercise in fulfilling a human desire to explore.

"Who knows what possibilities lie in going to another planet," he said. "We're going to be expanding our base, we're going to be learning and we're going to be getting new resources."