Due to the remarkable resilience of roaches, they have survived in variable extreme conditions like exposure to radiation, temperature fluctuations, and scarcity of resources on Earth. This has given rise to discussions about whether roaches can survive in space or not.
Although cockroaches can withstand high radiation and live without oxygen or food for several days, it is also not possible for them to survive in space. If you pick up a cockroach from Earth and release it into space, it would die in a short time, although this time might be longer than a human could survive.
This comprehensive guide will explain the challenges roaches face in space and the conditions under which they can survive.
Cockroach Resilience on Earth
Roaches have become a topic of interest in space studies due to their unique traits. The major ones are:
Withstanding Radiations
Roaches are known to endure a certain level of radiation that is considered lethal even to humans. This radiation damages the DNA but they can repair the damaged DNA efficiently. In space, roaches are exposed to different types of radiation, which they have to withstand to remain alive.
Enduring Extreme Temperatures
Despite being ectothermic, cockroaches can survive in a wide range of temperatures, including both cold and warm. This is due to their ability to adjust body metabolism, activities, and behaviors according to their surroundings.
Surviving in resource scarcity
Cockroaches can remain alive without food and water for a considerable number of days. They utilize the energy stored in their body and minimize their activities. They extract moisture from the surroundings to meet the water needs.
The Challenges of Space
The major challenges of the space environment for roaches include:
The Vacuum of Space
Just like all other living organisms, cockroaches also need oxygen to remain alive. They breathe through tiny openings called spiracles. The space is a vacuum having no oxygen and atmospheric pressure. This causes the spiracles of roaches to become non-functional and body fluids to evaporate, leading to dehydration and asphyxiation.
Extreme Temperatures
The space environment shows extreme temperature fluctuations. The temperature usually rises above 120°C at places receiving direct sunlight and drops below -270°C in the shadows of celestial bodies. Cockroaches do not like cold environments, and they try to leave cold places. Roaches and other organisms are unable to balance their physiological mechanisms in such extreme fluctuations. They need special protection for survival.
Cosmic Radiation
Space contains a much higher concentration of radiation, especially cosmic radiation. It also contains high-energy particles released by celestial bodies. Although roaches are quite resistant to radiation, the research published online by Cambridge University Press has shown that prolonged exposure of organisms to these radiations and particles causes disruption of DNA, which leads to arrest of the cell cycle and eventually death.
Hypothetical Scenarios: Cockroaches in Space
For a better understanding of how roaches will be able to survive in space, you can consider two hypothetical scenarios as given:
Scenario 1: A Cockroach Accidentally Launched into Space
If you release a cockroach accidentally into space with no protective measures, it will have minimal chances of survival. The extreme conditions of vacuum, temperatures, and radiation cause immediate death of the roach.
On the other hand, if the cockroach is placed in a spacecraft with controlled temperature and optimum oxygen amount, it will survive for a considerably longer time even in the absence of food. The roach will enter a state of dormancy where it lowers its metabolic activities, thus maximizing its survival chances.
Scenario 2: A Hypothetical Spacecraft Carrying Cockroaches
Consider a cockroach being taken into space in a hypothetical spacecraft. In this spacecraft, life-supporting conditions are created, which include temperature regulation, breathable air, and protection from cosmic radiation.
Theoretically, the cockroaches will survive in such spacecraft by lowering their metabolic rate. The actual situation can’t be predicted as the research related to this situation is still limited due to the difficulty in space studies.
How to Promote Survival in Space?
The survival of cockroaches in space can be promoted by regulating the following factors:
Protection from Radiation
Solar radiation and cosmic rays are highly damaging to cells and tissues. To enable roaches to survive in space, they must be shielded from radiation. For this, you can use thick materials like lead, which will absorb the radiation. For more effective shielding, you can opt for layered water and aluminum shielding or magnetic shielding.
Temperature Regulation
In space, the temperature fluctuations are so severe that roaches can not make the necessary adjustments timely, leading to their death. For this purpose, you can install a heating and cooling system which will function according to the needs. Heat transfer can also be regulated using heat insulation.
Access to Food and Water
Cockroaches can survive for several days without food and water. If taken into space for research purposes, they must be provided with sufficient resources to ensure their survival.
The Scientific Perspective
Scientists are always greatly surprised by the resilience of cockroaches in varying environmental conditions. They have focused a lot of their studies on the survival of roaches in extreme conditions.
Expert Opinions on Cockroach Survival in Space
The experts believe that cockroaches have certain traits that will help in their survival in space. However, the environmental conditions of space are so harsh that the roaches will only be able to survive for a short period if controlled conditions are created in spacecraft. For a long-term stay, you must create an artificial environment with proper temperature and oxygen balance.
Scientific Studies on Extreme Conditions
Scientific studies have suggested that several other organisms, like tardigrades, can endure space vacuum, extreme temperatures, and radiation to a much higher extent than roaches. This indicates that besides roaches, several other extremophiles can show resilience to space conditions and can be used for research.
Conclusion
Cockroaches, despite their survival in several catastrophic events, are unable to survive in the harsh conditions of space. The vacuum, extreme temperature fluctuations, and high cosmic radiation cause the quick death of roaches. They can be made adaptable by using certain precautionary measures, but these are not enough to make their survival long-lasting. Currently, researchers are looking for other organisms as well to use for space experiments.
FAQs
Why are cockroaches used in space experiments?
Cockroaches are preferred for space experiments as they can withstand extreme environmental conditions on Earth. This renders them useful for studying the effects of space on living organisms.
Can cockroaches survive the radiation in space?
Cockroaches are much more resistant to radiation than humans. However, space has cosmic radiation, which causes cellular damage and the death of roaches. Protective shielding must be used whenever roaches are exposed to cosmic radiation.
Can cockroaches survive without oxygen?
Yes, roaches can survive for up to 45 minutes without oxygen. If the time exceeds this limit, the roaches begin to shut down their metabolism, lose consciousness, and eventually die.