1 00:00:23,060 --> 00:00:21,019 oh hi f e that's life or so they say did 2 00:00:25,070 --> 00:00:23,070 you know the study of life is the actual 3 00:00:26,929 --> 00:00:25,080 definition of the word biology and 4 00:00:29,329 --> 00:00:26,939 that's what we're focusing on on this 5 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:29,339 episode biological research 6 00:00:34,250 --> 00:00:32,130 now this can range from plant growth to 7 00:00:36,979 --> 00:00:34,260 cell communication from bacterial 8 00:00:40,160 --> 00:00:36,989 virulence to actual strength and human 9 00:00:42,979 --> 00:00:40,170 bones by studying the science of biology 10 00:00:46,310 --> 00:00:42,989 or life in the microgravity environment 11 00:00:49,220 --> 00:00:46,320 on the International Space Station we've 12 00:00:51,439 --> 00:00:49,230 gained access to a whole new world of 13 00:00:54,770 --> 00:00:51,449 incredible science possibilities that 14 00:00:57,020 --> 00:00:54,780 didn't exist before join me as we go 15 00:00:59,959 --> 00:00:57,030 onboard the ISS to learn more about 16 00:01:02,959 --> 00:00:59,969 biological research in microgravity hi 17 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:02,969 I'm NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson welcome 18 00:01:08,090 --> 00:01:04,170 to station life 19 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:08,100 is it a 2/4 of equation that we use our 20 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:11,130 sleep live at four six four hours right 21 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:11,370 now 22 00:01:15,320 --> 00:01:13,890 oh geez thank you okay Tracy we copy and 23 00:01:19,430 --> 00:01:15,330 that good information we'll pass it 24 00:01:21,290 --> 00:01:19,440 along in this episode of station life 25 00:01:23,330 --> 00:01:21,300 we're going to look at biological 26 00:01:26,030 --> 00:01:23,340 research onboard the International Space 27 00:01:28,010 --> 00:01:26,040 Station we'll uncover some incredible 28 00:01:31,490 --> 00:01:28,020 breakthroughs made in the treatment of 29 00:01:33,530 --> 00:01:31,500 Duchenne muscular dystrophy we'll look 30 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:33,540 at studies of protein assemblies that 31 00:01:38,630 --> 00:01:35,610 will help us figure out how Alzheimer's 32 00:01:40,700 --> 00:01:38,640 develops will chat with NASA's chief 33 00:01:43,070 --> 00:01:40,710 astronaut Chris Cassidy about the 34 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:43,080 biological research capabilities aboard 35 00:01:47,510 --> 00:01:45,570 the ISS and we'll look at ongoing 36 00:01:49,790 --> 00:01:47,520 studies to further understand plant 37 00:01:51,650 --> 00:01:49,800 growth in a weightless environment so 38 00:01:56,700 --> 00:01:51,660 strap yourself in because it's going to 39 00:01:56,710 --> 00:02:03,750 Oh 40 00:02:09,609 --> 00:02:06,880 DMD or Duchenne muscular dystrophy is 41 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:09,619 the most common muscle disease affecting 42 00:02:15,370 --> 00:02:12,410 young boys it affects about one in 3,600 43 00:02:18,340 --> 00:02:15,380 it's an incurable condition and it 44 00:02:22,030 --> 00:02:18,350 results in really muscle weakness that 45 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:22,040 worsens over a boy's life time typically 46 00:02:27,690 --> 00:02:24,170 boys lose their ability to walk around 47 00:02:30,310 --> 00:02:27,700 age 12 as boys go through adolescence 48 00:02:32,229 --> 00:02:30,320 they have usually additional 49 00:02:35,470 --> 00:02:32,239 complications related to their lung or 50 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:35,480 pulmonary health as well as more often 51 00:02:39,790 --> 00:02:37,250 than not will develop cardiac disease 52 00:02:41,860 --> 00:02:39,800 heart disease and unfortunately most 53 00:02:45,250 --> 00:02:41,870 boys will pass away in their 20s from 54 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:45,260 complications such as pneumonia or heart 55 00:02:57,170 --> 00:02:55,160 in order to combat diseases like this we 56 00:02:59,030 --> 00:02:57,180 have to study the structure of proteins 57 00:03:01,820 --> 00:02:59,040 that are associated with that particular 58 00:03:04,010 --> 00:03:01,830 disease in order to do that we first 59 00:03:06,890 --> 00:03:04,020 must crystallize the protein that 60 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:06,900 crystal is basically millions of copies 61 00:03:11,690 --> 00:03:09,450 of that same protein aligned like a row 62 00:03:14,060 --> 00:03:11,700 of bricks on a wall but in three 63 00:03:15,290 --> 00:03:14,070 dimensions but here's the problem when 64 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:15,300 we try to grow a crystal on earth 65 00:03:19,820 --> 00:03:17,850 gravity can affect the way the molecules 66 00:03:22,220 --> 00:03:19,830 become aligned on the crystal surface 67 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:22,230 and that affects the overall quality of 68 00:03:26,990 --> 00:03:25,290 the crystal the ideal environment to 69 00:03:28,940 --> 00:03:27,000 grow a more perfect crystal would be a 70 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:28,950 lab that we could have up in space 71 00:03:34,010 --> 00:03:31,530 orbiting the globe so that we are free 72 00:03:35,180 --> 00:03:34,020 of Earth's gravity luckily we have one 73 00:03:40,100 --> 00:03:35,190 of those with the International Space 74 00:03:43,910 --> 00:03:40,110 Station since 2003 the japan aerospace 75 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:43,920 exploration agency has conducted more 76 00:03:48,620 --> 00:03:46,170 than 16 sessions of the protein crystal 77 00:03:50,690 --> 00:03:48,630 growth experiments on both the 78 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:50,700 International Space Station in 79 00:03:55,790 --> 00:03:53,010 microgravity the crystals grow much more 80 00:03:58,070 --> 00:03:55,800 slowly but the molecules have more time 81 00:03:59,840 --> 00:03:58,080 to get perfectly arranged on the surface 82 00:04:02,270 --> 00:03:59,850 of the crystal and that gives us much 83 00:04:04,940 --> 00:04:02,280 better data 84 00:04:07,570 --> 00:04:04,950 one of the most promising results has 85 00:04:09,230 --> 00:04:07,580 been gained by studying a protein 86 00:04:13,130 --> 00:04:09,240 associated with Duchenne muscular 87 00:04:16,220 --> 00:04:13,140 dystrophy studying this protein the to a 88 00:04:18,949 --> 00:04:16,230 huge discovery like a ki fittingly 89 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:18,959 turkey home we are able to design that 90 00:04:25,820 --> 00:04:23,130 grab that perfectly by - this protein by 91 00:04:28,100 --> 00:04:25,830 knowing the shape of that keyhole we can 92 00:04:31,070 --> 00:04:28,110 tailor make a drug to fit into a 93 00:04:35,270 --> 00:04:31,080 specific location of the protein what 94 00:04:39,650 --> 00:04:35,280 this means is we may be able to slow 95 00:04:43,730 --> 00:04:39,660 that is by half instead of being in a 96 00:04:47,540 --> 00:04:43,740 wheelchair at 12 we might be able to 97 00:04:50,780 --> 00:04:47,550 push that pace to change hi 98 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:50,790 instead of being dependent upon the 99 00:04:58,420 --> 00:04:54,570 dissipation at 20 years or it need to be 100 00:05:02,450 --> 00:04:58,430 40 what we're talking about is 101 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:02,460 potentially doubling the lifespan of 102 00:05:12,250 --> 00:05:08,490 many of these rehabilitation and it's 103 00:05:15,740 --> 00:05:12,260 all because of such a potentially 104 00:05:18,170 --> 00:05:15,750 accorded to us by the International 105 00:05:20,540 --> 00:05:18,180 Space Station this research is really 106 00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:20,550 just in its infancy there are literally 107 00:05:24,710 --> 00:05:22,290 thousands of other proteins through 108 00:05:26,390 --> 00:05:24,720 structures we need to determine and the 109 00:05:28,130 --> 00:05:26,400 International Space Station is going to 110 00:05:30,140 --> 00:05:28,140 provide a platform where we can 111 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:30,150 hopefully grow much better crystals that 112 00:05:33,980 --> 00:05:32,010 allow us to get structures and to learn 113 00:05:36,950 --> 00:05:33,990 more about how these molecules function 114 00:05:39,410 --> 00:05:36,960 in our body and back bacteria or in 115 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:39,420 viruses we're doing this research not 116 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:41,130 just for ourselves or our children but 117 00:05:44,540 --> 00:05:42,330 for generations to come 118 00:05:45,890 --> 00:05:44,550 many of the protein structures that will 119 00:05:57,180 --> 00:05:45,900 be determined wouldn't be possible 120 00:06:01,990 --> 00:05:59,530 I'm hoping that those trials will be 121 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:02,000 successful but they will tell us yes 122 00:06:06,550 --> 00:06:04,490 there is a way that we can keep these 123 00:06:08,230 --> 00:06:06,560 boys stronger for a longer period of 124 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:08,240 time that we can help their heart and 125 00:06:11,379 --> 00:06:09,770 pulmonary function that they can live 126 00:06:13,330 --> 00:06:11,389 longer that they can grow up and go to 127 00:06:35,500 --> 00:06:13,340 school and do the things that we all 128 00:06:35,510 --> 00:07:08,570 you 129 00:07:13,829 --> 00:07:11,339 welcome back we already mentioned that 130 00:07:16,139 --> 00:07:13,839 the ISS is a great platform to conduct 131 00:07:19,079 --> 00:07:16,149 biological research in microgravity 132 00:07:21,209 --> 00:07:19,089 in fact by studying life off the earth 133 00:07:23,309 --> 00:07:21,219 we're making huge breakthroughs in 134 00:07:26,459 --> 00:07:23,319 training today's most complex problems 135 00:07:28,649 --> 00:07:26,469 right here on the earth one of the 136 00:07:30,420 --> 00:07:28,659 exciting experiments ongoing right now 137 00:07:32,429 --> 00:07:30,430 onboard the International Space Station 138 00:07:35,339 --> 00:07:32,439 is called nano racks 139 00:07:38,639 --> 00:07:35,349 sable which stands for self-assembly in 140 00:07:41,519 --> 00:07:38,649 biology and origin of life a study into 141 00:07:43,709 --> 00:07:41,529 Alzheimer's that's a mouthful this 142 00:07:45,839 --> 00:07:43,719 experiment observes how proteins 143 00:07:49,290 --> 00:07:45,849 assemble in microgravity and how 144 00:07:51,149 --> 00:07:49,300 Alzheimer's progresses here's a very 145 00:07:53,850 --> 00:07:51,159 important video that will tell you all 146 00:07:56,909 --> 00:07:53,860 about it Alzheimer's disease is a global 147 00:07:58,679 --> 00:07:56,919 problem in the United States alone more 148 00:08:01,739 --> 00:07:58,689 than 5 million people have the disease 149 00:08:04,529 --> 00:08:01,749 and a new diagnosis is made every 67 150 00:08:07,079 --> 00:08:04,539 seconds numbers that are just a fraction 151 00:08:09,149 --> 00:08:07,089 of worldwide totals among medical 152 00:08:11,279 --> 00:08:09,159 researchers Alzheimer's is a top 153 00:08:13,110 --> 00:08:11,289 priority researchers working with 154 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:13,120 astronauts on the International Space 155 00:08:17,369 --> 00:08:15,490 Station are embarking on a mission to 156 00:08:19,290 --> 00:08:17,379 discover the origin of Alzheimer's 157 00:08:20,999 --> 00:08:19,300 although the details are still a little 158 00:08:22,679 --> 00:08:21,009 fuzzy researchers believe that 159 00:08:25,230 --> 00:08:22,689 Alzheimer's and similar diseases 160 00:08:27,179 --> 00:08:25,240 advanced when certain proteins in the 161 00:08:29,279 --> 00:08:27,189 brain assemble themselves into long 162 00:08:30,809 --> 00:08:29,289 fibers that accumulate and ultimately 163 00:08:32,550 --> 00:08:30,819 strangle nerve cells in the brain 164 00:08:34,379 --> 00:08:32,560 they're sort of like the crankcase 165 00:08:36,449 --> 00:08:34,389 sludge of the human body 166 00:08:38,819 --> 00:08:36,459 explains Dan Woodard of NASA's Kennedy 167 00:08:40,889 --> 00:08:38,829 Space Center the fibers are not active 168 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:40,899 so they'll be around forever because 169 00:08:43,230 --> 00:08:42,610 your body doesn't have any way to get 170 00:08:45,660 --> 00:08:43,240 rid of them 171 00:08:47,490 --> 00:08:45,670 these fibers take decades to form and 172 00:08:50,340 --> 00:08:47,500 accumulate hence the link between 173 00:08:50,850 --> 00:08:50,350 Alzheimer's and aging in Laboratories on 174 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:50,860 earth 175 00:08:54,870 --> 00:08:52,689 researchers have figured out how to make 176 00:08:56,879 --> 00:08:54,880 protein fibers accumulate more quickly 177 00:08:58,790 --> 00:08:56,889 so they can study the process without 178 00:09:01,439 --> 00:08:58,800 waiting so long on the space station 179 00:09:03,150 --> 00:09:01,449 accumulated fibers do not collapse under 180 00:09:05,069 --> 00:09:03,160 their own weight which makes the station 181 00:09:07,530 --> 00:09:05,079 an even better place to study them a 182 00:09:09,870 --> 00:09:07,540 four inch cube containing the experiment 183 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:09,880 which was selected in an ISS research 184 00:09:13,650 --> 00:09:12,010 contest by space Florida and 185 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:13,660 racks and built at the Florida Institute 186 00:09:17,940 --> 00:09:15,970 of Technology blasted off to the 187 00:09:20,490 --> 00:09:17,950 International Space Station on board the 188 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:20,500 SpaceX five cargo resupply mission early 189 00:09:26,370 --> 00:09:23,850 2015 the experiment itself sable or 190 00:09:28,680 --> 00:09:26,380 self-assembly in biology and the origin 191 00:09:30,780 --> 00:09:28,690 of life a study into Alzheimer's will be 192 00:09:33,300 --> 00:09:30,790 fully automated however observations 193 00:09:35,250 --> 00:09:33,310 from this experiment alone won't lead 194 00:09:37,170 --> 00:09:35,260 directly to the discovery of a cure 195 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:37,180 Sabol is geared more towards 196 00:09:41,070 --> 00:09:38,650 understanding the way that Alzheimer's 197 00:09:43,230 --> 00:09:41,080 progresses not towards creating a pill 198 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:43,240 to stop it from happening although this 199 00:09:47,250 --> 00:09:45,370 experiment is only the first and what 200 00:09:49,380 --> 00:09:47,260 will surely be a series water'd is 201 00:09:51,030 --> 00:09:49,390 optimistic that it could be an extremely 202 00:09:53,340 --> 00:09:51,040 valuable learning experience 203 00:09:55,230 --> 00:09:53,350 everybody wants a cure but without 204 00:09:57,720 --> 00:09:55,240 knowing the actual cause of the disease 205 00:09:59,460 --> 00:09:57,730 you're basically shooting in the dark we 206 00:10:01,170 --> 00:09:59,470 don't understand the true mechanism of 207 00:10:02,940 --> 00:10:01,180 the disease if we're lucky 208 00:10:05,100 --> 00:10:02,950 then we'll find out whether proteins 209 00:10:06,570 --> 00:10:05,110 will aggregate in space only in 210 00:10:08,670 --> 00:10:06,580 weightlessness can you produce an 211 00:10:10,560 --> 00:10:08,680 environment free of convection so you 212 00:10:12,810 --> 00:10:10,570 can see whether they form on their own 213 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:12,820 we expect to learn incrementally from 214 00:10:17,550 --> 00:10:15,610 this eventually projects like Sabol 215 00:10:19,380 --> 00:10:17,560 could lead to the discovery of a method 216 00:10:21,810 --> 00:10:19,390 to slow down the rate at which the 217 00:10:24,450 --> 00:10:21,820 harmful fibers grow thereby opening a 218 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:24,460 window for a cure after the samples are 219 00:10:28,230 --> 00:10:26,290 returned to earth and are examined 220 00:10:30,270 --> 00:10:28,240 underneath an atomic force microscope 221 00:10:32,130 --> 00:10:30,280 Woodard speculates that the cause of 222 00:10:34,500 --> 00:10:32,140 Alzheimer's could surprise us by being 223 00:10:37,170 --> 00:10:34,510 deceptively simple there have to be 224 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:37,180 chemicals or processes that hinder or 225 00:10:41,580 --> 00:10:39,370 encourage the growth of protein fibers 226 00:10:43,980 --> 00:10:41,590 it may be something as simple as 227 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:43,990 temperature or salt concentration of the 228 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:46,930 fluid in the brain strange but true the 229 00:10:51,510 --> 00:10:48,970 key to unraveling the mysterious cause 230 00:10:53,310 --> 00:10:51,520 of Alzheimer's disease may not lie in 231 00:10:55,530 --> 00:10:53,320 the recesses of the human brain but 232 00:10:58,230 --> 00:10:55,540 rather in the weightless expanse of 233 00:11:00,450 --> 00:10:58,240 space if an answer is ultimately found 234 00:11:03,090 --> 00:11:00,460 it could very well spring from the 235 00:11:32,110 --> 00:11:03,100 microgravity of Earth orbit off the 236 00:11:37,430 --> 00:11:34,879 you would not believe who we have with 237 00:11:39,740 --> 00:11:37,440 us today I mean this guy not only flew 238 00:11:41,180 --> 00:11:39,750 on the shuttle not only did a six-month 239 00:11:41,990 --> 00:11:41,190 increment onboard the International 240 00:11:45,230 --> 00:11:42,000 Space Station 241 00:11:48,019 --> 00:11:45,240 not only did six EVs but the guys are 242 00:11:50,990 --> 00:11:48,029 captain in the US Navy a former Navy 243 00:11:52,939 --> 00:11:51,000 SEAL he ran swam and biked the Ironman 244 00:11:56,060 --> 00:11:52,949 and he is tougher than Chuck Norris and 245 00:11:58,069 --> 00:11:56,070 the Six Million Dollar Man combine okay 246 00:12:00,079 --> 00:11:58,079 Tracy let's go back come on out my 247 00:12:03,740 --> 00:12:00,089 settle down he's awesome the chief 248 00:12:06,199 --> 00:12:03,750 astronaut hmm it means he's my boss hey 249 00:12:09,379 --> 00:12:06,209 man hey so good to have you for us today 250 00:12:09,740 --> 00:12:09,389 I am like beyond excited to have you on 251 00:12:11,540 --> 00:12:09,750 the show 252 00:12:13,370 --> 00:12:11,550 it's really cool to be here and be part 253 00:12:16,430 --> 00:12:13,380 of it yeah cool well I'm glad you're 254 00:12:18,379 --> 00:12:16,440 pumped up too you know I think that not 255 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:18,389 everybody out there knows that you just 256 00:12:23,840 --> 00:12:20,970 became the chief astronaut and you are 257 00:12:26,269 --> 00:12:23,850 no stranger to being a leader amongst 258 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:26,279 people you were quite a leader during 259 00:12:30,079 --> 00:12:27,810 the time you were a Navy SEAL 260 00:12:33,980 --> 00:12:30,089 so I gotta wonder is there are there any 261 00:12:36,650 --> 00:12:33,990 comparisons between being a Navy SEAL 262 00:12:39,079 --> 00:12:36,660 leader and an astronaut leader oh man 263 00:12:40,550 --> 00:12:39,089 it's that's it that's a good question I 264 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:40,560 think it's it's different in each 265 00:12:46,389 --> 00:12:43,170 environment when I was a young 22 23 266 00:12:49,189 --> 00:12:46,399 year old guy it was fun to lead 267 00:12:50,990 --> 00:12:49,199 sledgehammer karien Navy SEALs and I 268 00:12:54,430 --> 00:12:51,000 don't think that's quite the kitten book 269 00:12:57,920 --> 00:12:54,440 the clientele we have here it is 270 00:12:59,540 --> 00:12:57,930 but yeah it's all good either way so 271 00:13:01,030 --> 00:12:59,550 talk about Chris Cassidy is the 272 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:01,040 scientist on board the space station 273 00:13:07,069 --> 00:13:04,170 yeah that's that's uh almost doesn't 274 00:13:08,990 --> 00:13:07,079 sound right because we don't feel least 275 00:13:11,930 --> 00:13:09,000 when I was there I didn't feel like the 276 00:13:14,540 --> 00:13:11,940 expert scientist I felt like the person 277 00:13:16,370 --> 00:13:14,550 who was executing the plan for the 278 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:16,380 expert scientists and they have really 279 00:13:19,579 --> 00:13:17,730 good procedures that tell us exactly 280 00:13:22,189 --> 00:13:19,589 exactly what to do because there's so 281 00:13:24,319 --> 00:13:22,199 many things that are there for us to 282 00:13:26,780 --> 00:13:24,329 help with and I don't know if you felt 283 00:13:28,250 --> 00:13:26,790 the same way it's just lots of different 284 00:13:30,500 --> 00:13:28,260 experiments there's no way we could know 285 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:30,510 at all as as the astronaut absolutely 286 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:31,530 and there you know 287 00:13:35,750 --> 00:13:34,290 any there was actually no typical day on 288 00:13:37,430 --> 00:13:35,760 or the International Space Station 289 00:13:39,470 --> 00:13:37,440 you're either doing maintenance you're 290 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:39,480 doing science you're getting ready for a 291 00:13:42,530 --> 00:13:41,010 spacewalk or maybe a visiting vehicle 292 00:13:44,450 --> 00:13:42,540 and you got a grapple it with the 293 00:13:47,450 --> 00:13:44,460 robotic arm so our brains are constantly 294 00:13:50,270 --> 00:13:47,460 going and that's why like chris says you 295 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:50,280 you end up but you can't be an expert on 296 00:13:53,750 --> 00:13:51,810 any one thing but you just got to be 297 00:13:55,550 --> 00:13:53,760 able to absorb information a lot of it 298 00:13:57,650 --> 00:13:55,560 in a short period of time yep and 299 00:13:59,660 --> 00:13:57,660 there's this pressure of you know people 300 00:14:02,120 --> 00:13:59,670 have put a lot of their heart blood and 301 00:14:04,010 --> 00:14:02,130 soul into that thing whatever the thing 302 00:14:07,370 --> 00:14:04,020 is whatever the experiment or equipment 303 00:14:09,260 --> 00:14:07,380 or you name it and there's this 304 00:14:10,850 --> 00:14:09,270 underlying pressure of I don't want to 305 00:14:12,980 --> 00:14:10,860 be the guy that screws this thing up 306 00:14:15,470 --> 00:14:12,990 today on station life we're talking 307 00:14:16,940 --> 00:14:15,480 about biological research can you think 308 00:14:18,470 --> 00:14:16,950 of it can you remember back to any of 309 00:14:21,890 --> 00:14:18,480 the experiments that you did that that 310 00:14:24,170 --> 00:14:21,900 had a biology focus on them yeah what 311 00:14:27,290 --> 00:14:24,180 sticks most in my mind were the ones of 312 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:27,300 which I was the subject and I was part 313 00:14:32,150 --> 00:14:29,610 of one that called Pro K which was put 314 00:14:34,910 --> 00:14:32,160 protein to potassium ratio in my diet 315 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:34,920 and we would bury we would do this 316 00:14:38,860 --> 00:14:36,930 particular diet for four days at a time 317 00:14:40,850 --> 00:14:38,870 and take blood and urine samples 318 00:14:42,500 --> 00:14:40,860 throughout those four days I don't know 319 00:14:45,980 --> 00:14:42,510 if that was one when you're up there yes 320 00:14:49,850 --> 00:14:45,990 I have very fond memories of Pro K but 321 00:14:52,540 --> 00:14:49,860 also I I was so I like Chris said we've 322 00:14:54,650 --> 00:14:52,550 got this four-day menu that we eat 323 00:14:57,410 --> 00:14:54,660 specifically and you haven't be late if 324 00:14:59,120 --> 00:14:57,420 you have to eat all of the stuff and oh 325 00:15:00,950 --> 00:14:59,130 you know you can't under eating there's 326 00:15:02,690 --> 00:15:00,960 you can't over it you got to eat only 327 00:15:04,100 --> 00:15:02,700 that that was the hardest part I thought 328 00:15:06,140 --> 00:15:04,110 I thought it was you getting on the 329 00:15:08,150 --> 00:15:06,150 right glide slope about dinner lunchtime 330 00:15:10,070 --> 00:15:08,160 to be done when you and so you weren't 331 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:10,080 at seven o'clock going oh my god I'm so 332 00:15:13,250 --> 00:15:11,490 hungry that's when it was interesting 333 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:13,260 experiments where you you eat food for a 334 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:15,810 week you draw your blood and then you 335 00:15:22,790 --> 00:15:18,570 use some instruments onboard the station 336 00:15:25,310 --> 00:15:22,800 like a centrifuge yeah and a minus 337 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:25,320 eighty degree freezer to store the 338 00:15:28,579 --> 00:15:26,850 samples and then we wait for it I 339 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:28,589 remember there was there's very specific 340 00:15:33,770 --> 00:15:31,650 times on when it comes out of you until 341 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:33,780 how long it has to rest and then go in 342 00:15:39,260 --> 00:15:36,210 the centrifuge and and there there is 343 00:15:41,420 --> 00:15:39,270 very regimented you couldn't dilly-dally 344 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:41,430 with any of those steps to get it from 345 00:15:44,889 --> 00:15:44,010 you to the centrifuge to the freezer our 346 00:15:46,989 --> 00:15:44,899 space station 347 00:15:50,309 --> 00:15:46,999 terms of life we have an environmental 348 00:15:53,920 --> 00:15:50,319 control system that takes water and 349 00:15:55,329 --> 00:15:53,930 cycles it everything from sweat to urine 350 00:15:57,460 --> 00:15:55,339 and turns it into water that we actually 351 00:16:02,590 --> 00:15:57,470 drink to polite it turns yesterday's 352 00:16:05,679 --> 00:16:02,600 coffee I was I was just you know you're 353 00:16:07,359 --> 00:16:05,689 right I'm good to to polite but that's 354 00:16:10,179 --> 00:16:07,369 the other part about the station that 355 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:10,189 actually I mean it's biology to where 356 00:16:15,639 --> 00:16:12,050 we're taking we're learning how to 357 00:16:17,139 --> 00:16:15,649 recycle yeah things recycled life water 358 00:16:19,030 --> 00:16:17,149 is life and and if we're gonna go 359 00:16:21,309 --> 00:16:19,040 further that's so critical yeah they're 360 00:16:24,119 --> 00:16:21,319 going further than pushing the 361 00:16:26,679 --> 00:16:24,129 boundaries of where we are now yes so I 362 00:16:28,359 --> 00:16:26,689 just want to say Chris it's been a real 363 00:16:30,699 --> 00:16:28,369 pleasure talking with you and it's been 364 00:16:33,009 --> 00:16:30,709 a real honor to have you on station life 365 00:16:34,929 --> 00:16:33,019 and we'd love to have you again sometime 366 00:16:36,519 --> 00:16:34,939 but thank you so much for sharing your 367 00:16:39,460 --> 00:16:36,529 thoughts and your experiences with us 368 00:16:46,780 --> 00:16:39,470 here today absolutely cool all right man 369 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:46,790 thanks a lot you bet thank you hey it's 370 00:16:49,689 --> 00:16:48,290 me Destin from smarter every day on 371 00:16:51,819 --> 00:16:49,699 YouTube think about this if we're going 372 00:16:53,379 --> 00:16:51,829 to go to Mars we've got to take food got 373 00:16:55,569 --> 00:16:53,389 to take water these are important things 374 00:16:56,829 --> 00:16:55,579 right well there's a system on the 375 00:16:59,379 --> 00:16:56,839 international space station called 376 00:17:02,049 --> 00:16:59,389 Equus what they do is when they drink 377 00:17:04,299 --> 00:17:02,059 the water they go you know use it in 378 00:17:06,010 --> 00:17:04,309 their body it goes out their body in the 379 00:17:08,500 --> 00:17:06,020 form of urine and then it goes through a 380 00:17:10,600 --> 00:17:08,510 system called ekeus equalists can take 381 00:17:12,939 --> 00:17:10,610 urine and turn it back into potable 382 00:17:14,470 --> 00:17:12,949 water and they can drink it again so 383 00:17:15,429 --> 00:17:14,480 right now on the international space 384 00:17:17,079 --> 00:17:15,439 station we're kind of figuring this 385 00:17:20,019 --> 00:17:17,089 stuff out for every one gallon of water 386 00:17:21,669 --> 00:17:20,029 that they need to use 65% of it comes 387 00:17:24,100 --> 00:17:21,679 from Equalists they're drinking their 388 00:17:26,490 --> 00:17:24,110 pee the rest of it they're using fresh 389 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:26,500 water I thought I was pretty cool you 390 00:17:32,350 --> 00:17:29,570 know one of the most important things to 391 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:32,360 a human in space as you guessed it food 392 00:17:38,230 --> 00:17:35,330 but getting food to space is no small 393 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:38,240 task so if we could grow our own food in 394 00:17:42,549 --> 00:17:40,610 space that would open up all kinds of 395 00:17:46,180 --> 00:17:42,559 possibilities for human space 396 00:17:47,790 --> 00:17:46,190 exploration recently astronauts aboard 397 00:17:50,700 --> 00:17:47,800 the ISS ate 398 00:17:52,799 --> 00:17:50,710 lettuce big deal right heck yeah wish I 399 00:17:55,260 --> 00:17:52,809 had it actually it was the first time 400 00:17:58,230 --> 00:17:55,270 that astronauts consumed lettuce grown 401 00:18:01,230 --> 00:17:58,240 in space understanding how to grow food 402 00:18:04,169 --> 00:18:01,240 in microgravity is absolutely essential 403 00:18:05,820 --> 00:18:04,179 for future long-duration missions it can 404 00:18:08,070 --> 00:18:05,830 also help us to grow plants in 405 00:18:10,140 --> 00:18:08,080 challenging environments right here on 406 00:18:12,330 --> 00:18:10,150 the earth take a look at how our 407 00:18:19,020 --> 00:18:12,340 European partners are tackling the 408 00:18:20,850 --> 00:18:19,030 challenges of growing food in space well 409 00:18:23,100 --> 00:18:20,860 everybody knows that blood plants are 410 00:18:25,020 --> 00:18:23,110 important for the daily life on the 411 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:25,030 earth for the daily life of the human 412 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:27,250 being for the same reason really plants 413 00:18:32,130 --> 00:18:30,010 are important for any adventure of a 414 00:18:35,610 --> 00:18:32,140 space exploration that the human being 415 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:35,620 can undertake plants produce oxygen 416 00:18:42,900 --> 00:18:38,530 which is an essential component of for 417 00:18:45,180 --> 00:18:42,910 our life plants produce water which is 418 00:18:48,090 --> 00:18:45,190 also essential plants produce 419 00:18:50,010 --> 00:18:48,100 fundamental food we are now using the 420 00:18:52,260 --> 00:18:50,020 fantastic resources offered by the 421 00:18:56,400 --> 00:18:52,270 International Space Station which are 422 00:18:58,590 --> 00:18:56,410 just being now fully available from the 423 00:19:00,060 --> 00:18:58,600 even in the case of Europe with 424 00:19:02,060 --> 00:19:00,070 implementation of the Columbus 425 00:19:06,450 --> 00:19:02,070 laboratory which is an unprecedented 426 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:06,460 tool for a biological which is in 427 00:19:10,410 --> 00:19:08,410 general for scientific research but in 428 00:19:14,100 --> 00:19:10,420 particular for biological and more 429 00:19:16,770 --> 00:19:14,110 particularly for plant research gravity 430 00:19:19,410 --> 00:19:16,780 is an essential factor for the for the 431 00:19:22,110 --> 00:19:19,420 growth of plants roots growth on walls 432 00:19:24,510 --> 00:19:22,120 and stem grow upwards because of the 433 00:19:27,390 --> 00:19:24,520 presence of the gravity vector when this 434 00:19:30,660 --> 00:19:27,400 vector is absent as in space this 435 00:19:33,150 --> 00:19:30,670 process is totally disorganized and the 436 00:19:35,580 --> 00:19:33,160 study of the particular cellular and 437 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:35,590 molecular mechanisms of this process is 438 00:19:40,410 --> 00:19:38,290 essential to be capable of successfully 439 00:19:42,570 --> 00:19:40,420 growing plants in the future in the 440 00:19:45,630 --> 00:19:42,580 conditions of microgravity that exist in 441 00:19:47,580 --> 00:19:45,640 space European scientists have developed 442 00:19:48,990 --> 00:19:47,590 a fundamental role in the discrimination 443 00:19:52,260 --> 00:19:49,000 of these cellular and molecular 444 00:19:54,510 --> 00:19:52,270 mechanisms then the next step is to pass 445 00:19:56,580 --> 00:19:54,520 from the model plant that we are now 446 00:19:59,159 --> 00:19:56,590 using olavide OPS's is a plant that 447 00:20:01,330 --> 00:19:59,169 nobody is interested in except plant 448 00:20:03,970 --> 00:20:01,340 scientists because it's the model 449 00:20:06,700 --> 00:20:03,980 so to bust through through a branch of 450 00:20:10,170 --> 00:20:06,710 economical value such as rice or wheat 451 00:20:12,820 --> 00:20:10,180 or cereals in general so you are being 452 00:20:15,190 --> 00:20:12,830 plants which are interesting for human 453 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:15,200 food and then the next step is to 454 00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:18,770 produce a space garden or a special 455 00:20:24,690 --> 00:20:21,770 space culture capable of producing a 456 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:24,700 crop capable of being eaten or being 457 00:20:30,430 --> 00:20:27,890 taken by astronauts as they food and 458 00:20:34,090 --> 00:20:30,440 also an interesting factor as a 459 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:34,100 psychological relief and we will be 460 00:20:41,110 --> 00:20:37,850 capable of producing plants that will be 461 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:41,120 able of growing deeper in the soil or on 462 00:20:47,470 --> 00:20:44,210 the contrary which the roots growing 463 00:20:50,260 --> 00:20:47,480 more recently and this is very important 464 00:20:53,620 --> 00:20:50,270 in terms of the the capability of taking 465 00:20:57,490 --> 00:20:53,630 the water which is being found deeper or 466 00:20:59,470 --> 00:20:57,500 at the surface of the soil so really the 467 00:21:01,720 --> 00:20:59,480 purpose the objective is really to 468 00:21:04,540 --> 00:21:01,730 translate and to translate this the 469 00:21:06,910 --> 00:21:04,550 earth garden to Mars or to the moon or 470 00:21:10,540 --> 00:21:06,920 to the interior of the space station or 471 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:10,550 whatever space vehicle or whatever space 472 00:21:19,210 --> 00:21:14,330 planet or space habitat that the human 473 00:21:20,650 --> 00:21:19,220 being can put the feet on we also just 474 00:21:23,150 --> 00:21:20,660 get my big cutter on the other side of 475 00:21:26,150 --> 00:21:23,160 my ID thank you 476 00:21:31,790 --> 00:21:26,160 got me there are you loving three but 477 00:21:34,580 --> 00:21:31,800 I'm a fool dancing absolutely it's just 478 00:21:48,560 --> 00:21:34,590 like in the pool instead of that the 479 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:48,570 exception of a big booth as the 480 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:51,410 International Space Station flies 257 481 00:21:56,960 --> 00:21:54,170 statute miles over the coast of Chile 482 00:22:01,390 --> 00:21:56,970 terry virts and the initial moments of 483 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:05,090 all right let's recap this episode today 484 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:07,170 we talked about breakthroughs in 485 00:22:11,090 --> 00:22:08,930 Duchenne muscular dystrophy 486 00:22:13,910 --> 00:22:11,100 understanding how Alzheimer's disease 487 00:22:15,850 --> 00:22:13,920 develops amazing biological research 488 00:22:18,580 --> 00:22:15,860 possibilities on the ISS and 489 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:18,590 understanding how plants grow in space 490 00:22:22,820 --> 00:22:20,490 look like we've been hard at work 491 00:22:25,790 --> 00:22:22,830 studying life off the earth to help 492 00:22:28,190 --> 00:22:25,800 improve life right here on earth and if 493 00:22:29,930 --> 00:22:28,200 that ain't life I don't know what is so 494 00:22:31,340 --> 00:22:29,940 be sure to stay in touch and follow us 495 00:22:33,770 --> 00:22:31,350 on Facebook and Twitter for the latest 496 00:22:35,390 --> 00:22:33,780 research news and don't forget to 497 00:22:38,390 --> 00:22:35,400 download our kickin app on your mobile