As much as scientists try their best to do their amazing work and innovate from every corner of their fields and every corner of the globe, there's only so much that they can do while they're living on the ground. That's why scientists stationed up on the International Space Station tried their hands at performing gene editing while in space, and recently they were successful in performing a CRISPR-Cas9 procedure within the limitations of their zero-gravity residence. This can lead to several breakthroughs, as oftentimes space can be home to DNA-damaging radiation, and the ability to change or repair said DNA while in space would be critical if humanity ever decides to live away from Earth long-term.
Link to article: https://www.labroots.com/trending/space/20784/astronauts-perform-crispr-gene-editing-space
Link to article explaining: https://www.britannica.com/science/homologous-recombination
This was a fascinating post! I think it’s incredible how scientists were able to utilize the CRISPR-cas 9 technology in space. I agree that understanding how to repair or change DNA in space is crucial if humanity leaves earth indefinitely in the future.
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