The first batch of fruit flies bred on the Chinese space station is returning to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-19 spacecraft, bringing valuable insights into how living organisms adapt to space. The Chinese Academy of Sciences announced that these tiny travelers are expected to provide crucial data for research into biological magnetic sensing and gravity perception.
Sent into orbit on November 15, 2024, aboard the Tianzhou-8 cargo spacecraft, these fruit flies marked China’s inaugural scientific experiment in a combined low-magnetic and microgravity environment. Over two months, they have successfully produced three generations, with samples collected by Chinese astronauts from each generation.
“In space, the fruit flies exhibited unique behaviors,” said Li Yan, a researcher at the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. “While on Earth they crawl and fly, in space they float and even somersault.” Despite the unusual environment, the fruit flies were able to court, mate, and reproduce much like they do on Earth.
Fruit flies are well-established model organisms, extensively used in scientific research for over a century due to their simple genetics and short life cycles. Studying their adaptation to space conditions—like low magnetic fields, microgravity, and radiation—provides valuable insights.
Zhang Wei, a researcher at the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, highlighted the importance of this research. “Observing the fruit flies under these conditions and studying changes in their behavior and nervous systems will offer essential support for ensuring the health of astronauts in future deep space missions,” Zhang explained.
