Questão de Direito Tributário

08 Although the plant is inedible, researchers say the findings could be important for space 09 exploration. Dr. Tomomichi Fujita, the lead author of the study, from Hokkaido University in 10 Japan, said: “While moss may not be on the menu, its resilience offers insights into developing 11 sustainable life-support systems in space. Mosses could help with oxygen generation, humidity 12 control, or even soil formation.” It is not the first time researchers have highlighted the 13 remarkable survival abilities of moss, or sent such species to the ISS. Indeed, such plants are 14 known to tolerate a host of extreme conditions on Earth. At the same time, scientists have found 15 that the desert moss species Syntrichia caninervis can withstand Mars-like conditions in 16 experiments on Earth. 17 Writing in the journal iScience, Fujita and colleagues report how they exposed three 18 different moss structures to a simulated space environment on Earth. They found that moss 19 spores encased in a structure known as a sporangium were the most resilient and were able to 20 germinate after exposure to UVC radiation levels that exceeded 100,000 joules per square metre. 21 Further tests suggested these encased spores were also resilient to vacuum conditions, 22 deep-freezing, high temperatures, and radiation within a vacuum. The researchers then sent 23 encased spores to the ISS on board the Cygnus NG-17 spacecraft. These were attached to the 24 outside of the ISS in sample holders with different filter settings and left there for nine months. 25 After the samples were returned to Earth, the researchers found that all showed high rates 26 of germination, noting that even those that had been fully exposed to UV radiation in space had 27 an 86% germination rate – compared with a 97% germination rate for spores that had remained 28 on Earth. However, a type of chlorophyll in the space-exposed samples showed signs of 29 degradation. “If such spores can endure long-term exposure during interplanetary travel and 30 then successfully revive upon rehydration and warming, they could one day contribute to 31 establishing basic ecosystems beyond Earth,” Fujita said. He noted that the study focused only 32 on survival under space exposure: “Whether moss can germinate and grow under various 33 extraterrestrial conditions – including different gravity levels, atmospheric compositions and 34 radiation levels – remains an open question.” 35 Dr. Agata Zupanska, of the SETI Institute, who was not involved in the work, welcomed 36 the study but said it was already known that dormant, desiccated biological forms, such as 37 spores or seeds, exhibited significantly greater resistance to environmental extremes than 38 hydrated cells or tissues. She said similar seed exposure experiments, including on space crop 39 seeds, had already been conducted outside the ISS. Zupanska also stressed that the external 40 ISS environment, while harsh, did not fully represent the complexities of true deep space 41 conditions, including those on the Moon or Mars. “The value of space plants is realized only if 42 they can actively grow and thrive away from Earth,” she said. “While spore resilience is important, 43 it represents only an initial step toward the broader goals of growing plants in extraterrestrial 44 environments.” (Available at: theguardian.com/science/2025/nov/20/moss-spores-survive-outside-international-space- Execução: Fundatec station-iss – text specially adapted for this test). 27 – PROFESSOR DE LÍNGUA INGLESA 1031_CE_27_NS_DM 09/01/2026 09:13:04