Seeds on a chip

Seven-day-old roots went through repeated shots of hyper and microgravity during the first partial gravity international space life sciences parabolic flight campaign held in Bordeaux, France, in June 2018.

Charting the very first reactions of young plants down to the millisecond in partial gravity was a new feat for the team.

The baby roots were germinated in a Petri dish and transferred to the plane in a microfluidic chip where they continue to receive nutrients. 

Scientists used a high-resolution microscope to monitor up to eight plants each flight. The device was equipped with lasers and a spinning disc that scanned each root in great detail. 

Fluorescent markers helped to track the cellular changes happening at the root tip in real time.