Space | The Burgundy Zine

May 14, 2021

Radiotrophic Fungi: The Fungus Among Us that Eat Radiation

Mushrooms: everybody’s favorite quirk of nature. From the psychedelic genus psilocybe and the Ophiocordyceps unilateralis that “mind control” ants, to the mushrooms that clean up oil spills and the mushrooms that may serve as planetary habitats, researchers have found yet another use for fungi: radiation protection.

“The greatest hazard for humans on deep-space exploration missions is radiation,” says a preliminary report in the bioRxiv journal. “Certain fungi thrive in high-radiation environments on Earth, such as the contamination radius of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant… These organisms appear to perform radiosynthesis, using pigments known as melanin to convert gamma radiation into chemical energy. It is hypothesized that these organisms can be employed as a radiation shield to protect other lifeforms.”

Radiosynthesis runs parallel to photosynthesis — but instead of eating sunlight (UV radiation), these shrooms are eating gamma radiation. And it’s all possible through melanin, the same pigment that determines hair and skin color.

September 14, 2020

What is the Solar Cycle?

So, you’ve heard of the water cycle, the menstrual cycle, bicycles… But have you heard of the solar cycle?

September 13, 2020

Artist Spotlight: Naolito

Artist Naolito leaves us awestruck by their adorable space illustrations.

July 31, 2020

Perseverance Has Reached the Stars, Seven Months Until it Hits Mars

Amidst a swirl of news about The Pentagon’s intent to release more UFO footage, NASA has taken off on a new era of space exploration with the Mars Perseverance launch yesterday morning.

February 17, 2020

Human Hibernation: The Future of Healing and Space Travel

What do arctic ground squirrels and black bears have in common? They’re both among the many animals that hibernate.

Except, hibernation isn’t just a long nap through the cold, dreary winter months. It’s a highly-regulated form of energy conservation that impacts how the brain and body function, says Kelly Drew, a University of Alaska professor and CEO of Be Cool Pharmaceutics.

So, what can we learn from hibernation and what might happen if we humans were to give it a try?

January 19, 2020

Moonshrooms: How Fungi Could Shape Life on Mars

NASA recently announced they’re exploring new, green ways to sustain human life in outer space through the help of our beloved fungal friends: mushrooms, or rather, their mycelia.

January 7, 2020

NASA’s Big Plans for 2020

NASA’s Launch Services Program is blasting off three missions this year, reaching beyond our atmosphere to study the sun, Mars, and the ocean.

These missions will provide revelations about the centerpiece of our solar system, address questions critical to planning for human expeditions of the Red Planet, and shed insight on the earth’s rising sea levels.