In addition to raising these legal and ethical issues, the Apollo waste bags also raised interesting scientific questions. How long did the bagged microorganisms last on the moon? Did exposure to such harsh conditions trigger mutations or adaptations? Since all species on Earth originated from microorganisms, this line of research will shed new light on the great mystery of how and where life emerged in the universe. The answers to some of the deepest and oldest questions about our place in the universe may actually be waiting in Neil Armstrong’s 55-year-old diaper.
“It is this diversity that is who we are,” says Katherine Sammler, a human geographer at the University of Twente in the Netherlands. space waste management Through the lens of critical social theory, “we take with us not only non-human passengers, such as microbes and bacteria, but also our own bodies and what enters and exits them. “We have to think about the passengers who come with us and the gravity and radiation they experience on the moon.” They added that waste bags would be a rich site for research. “What’s there? What’s left?”
In his mission concept, Lupisella proposes to answer some of these questions by performing biomolecular sequencing, among other experiments, on poop samples from Apollo astronauts. These efforts could potentially reveal whether rates of genetic mutation changed after microbes were isolated on the Moon, which could hypothetically provide them with an adaptive advantage. Rupicella also wonders whether the microbial spores in the bag can be revived under the right conditions.
“We already know that life outside of humans is strong and can survive in strange environments, but if the human microbiome can survive in an environment like the Moon, that would be a strong indicator of just how robust life could be. .” says Lupisella. . “This will be another data point that tells us that it’s a little easier to believe that life could exist in many places in the galaxy, in the solar system, and throughout the universe.”
Astronauts often report that the most common question they get from students is how to go to the bathroom in space. This is a simple query that exposes a complex and ever-evolving set of challenges, many of which remain unresolved. It is unclear whether we will ever find satisfactory solutions to these problems, but continued efforts to confront the legal, ethical, and practical obstacles to space waste management will pay dividends here on Earth as well.
“I am very excited to be working on space issues,” said de Zwart. “Because there is an opportunity to do better.” “We must move forward in a sustainable and responsible way. We need to think about how we can minimize waste. Of course, if we could crack that nut for the universe, it would bring enormous benefits to Earth. So, we can help up the game on waste management and disposal here.”
For example, billions of people on Earth You do not have access A campaign to build more innovative toilets and sewage systems is in full swing. Meanwhile, the number of livestock is increasing worldwide, and the excrement they produce each year amounts to billions of tons. Putting strain on waste management programs. Wastewater often pollutes the environment and exposes humans to health risks, including respiratory diseases and waste-related pathogens. wastewater system Currently contributing The impacts of climate change, including extreme weather events such as floods and hurricanes, place greater stress on waste infrastructure while also impacting greenhouse gas emissions.
“Perhaps humanity can avoid the worst effects of global climate change by embracing what the military-industrial complex has decided is absolutely necessary for all spacecraft: bioregenerative life support systems,” Munns and Nickelsen write in their book.
“In writing a book about what people do with poop in space, we also wrote a book that addresses the question of what people should do with poop on Earth,” they conclude.
