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Quirky Circling Behavior in Mice Informs Research on Humans in Space
During the Rodent Research-1 (RR-1) mission flown to the ISS in 2014, videos that were taken to observe the mice revealed an unusual behavior that researchers are still working to understand. Young (16-week-old) but not old (32-week-old) mice engaged in a high level of ‘running’ behavior beginning within two weeks of launch (Sci Reports, 2019).
Some alternate interpretations of the running behavior of mice on orbit include significant scientific literature on the rewarding effects of physical exercise, as seen in the footage of Astronaut Alan Bean on Space Lab below. A multi-investigator collaborative team of scientists is conducting follow-up studies on the ground as well as in space on the upcoming Rodent Research-26 mission to understand more about what could be driving this behavior. Comprehensive and in-depth molecular biology studies will be looking at potential indicators of stress (maladaptive coping) or whether the running behavior is a beneficial adaptation to the weightlessness of space.
Watch the video below to see the mice (and humans) in space.
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Video of the quirky circling behavior of mice aboard the ISS was recently released. Scientists will be doing further research to understand what's behind this unexplained behavior.NASA Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA NASA Biological & Physical SciencesBPS administers NASA’s: BPS partners with the research community and a wide range of organizations to accomplish its mission. Grants…
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A Solitary Sight
ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen snapped a photo of the waning gibbous moon from the International Space Station as it soared 260 miles above the Atlantic Ocean near the northeast coast of South America on Sept. 30, 2023.
Waning gibbous is one of eight moon phases, occurring after the full moon. The Sun always illuminates half of the Moon while the other half remains dark, but how much we can see of that illuminated half changes as the Moon travels through its orbit. As the Moon begins its journey back toward the Sun, the lighted side appears to shrink, but the Moon’s orbit is simply carrying it out of view from our perspective.
Image Credit: NASA, ESA/Andreas Mogensen