To reach distant planets and to colonize Mars, people have to find out how to protect themselves against space radiation. Physicists develop new materials which can shield from radiation. Engineers design space ships such as to suppress radiation. Chemists try to invent drugs which would lessen harmful impact. And geneticists from the Dzhelepov Laboratory of Nuclear Problems at JINR perform experiments on the mutation able to entail natural radiation protection in an organism. Microscopic animals, tardigrades, have the required gene. With this gene scientists modify fruit flies making them radiation-hardened. If experiments succeed, people could reckon on this superpower in future as well.

This comic strip arose from the joint project of the Dzhelepov Laboratory of Nuclear Problems and the “Komikadze” group, a cooperative association of scriptwriters, artists, illustrators and science educators.

Illustrated by Bogdan Kulikovskikh

Conception and script by Alyona Lesnyak

Previous research in the field:

Expression of a Tardigrade Dsup Gene Enhances Genome Protection in Plants

Extremotolerant tardigrade genome and improved radiotolerance of human cultured cells by tardigrade-unique protein

The tardigrade damage suppressor protein binds to nucleosomes and protects DNA from hydroxyl radicals