China's fruit fly experiment on space station progressing smoothly, family expansion expected to produce three generations

The Shenzhou-19 crew has made smooth progress in the space life sciences and human research project focused on the space hypomagnetic effects on drosophila and their molecular mechanisms. The "fruit fly family" is thriving, with the potential to become the first species to reproduce for three generations aboard China's space station, according to the China Central Television on Sunday.

Last week, the crew successfully completed tasks such as fruit fly collection, clearing of cultivation boxes, and sample organization. Earlier, with the successful launch of the Long March-7 Y9 carrier rocket, China sent fruit flies to the space station for the first time to conduct scientific experiments.

According to the Xinhua News Agency, the fruit fly is one of the model species frequently used in genetic experiments. It is small, measuring only 3 to 4 millimeter in length, and has a short life cycle with fast reproduction capabilities, enabling it to produce a large number of offspring within a short period, according to Zhang Wei, a researcher involved in the selection of in-orbit scientific experiments, at the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

"The genes of fruit flies share many similarities with those of humans, so the study can help with understanding human genetic diseases and provide insights into how humans adapt to space environments," Zhang said in a recent interview.

On the space station, fruit flies from the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) were divided into two groups. One group lives in the microgravity environment of space, while the other is placed in a magnetic shielding device, simultaneously subjected to the combined effects of microgravity and a hypomagnetic field, China Science Daily reported on December 16.

Upon arrival in space, the fruit flies went through a fascinating adaptation period. In the microgravity environment, a simple flap of their wings would send them shooting forward like bullets. When they stopped flapping, they would drift uncontrollably, attempting to kick their legs to change direction.

Fortunately, these small creatures quickly adapted to their new environment. Researchers at CAS, led by Professor Li Yan, jokingly referred to these terrestrial flying experts as having learned to "swim like frogs" in space, according to the China Science Daily report.

A video transmitted from space on November 19 showed a tiny fruit fly emerging from its pupa and curiously observing its unfamiliar surroundings. This fruit fly, affectionately called the "first baby fruit fly born in space" by the research team, marks China's first successful fruit fly reproduction in space.

On Earth, fruit flies can reproduce a new generation in 12 to 15 days. With an expected on-orbit experiment duration of 36 days, they are likely to become the first species to achieve "three generations under one roof" aboard China's space station.

After the fruit flies return to Earth, Li's team will further analyze their behavior and gene expression during their time in space. The goal is to uncover the effects of microgravity and hypomagnetic fields on animal behavior and the underlying neural and molecular mechanisms, said in the China Science Daily report.

Li told the China Science Daily that one could imagine future generations establishing bases or even permanent homes on the Moon, where gravity is only one-sixth that of Earth and the magnetic field is extremely weak. She wondered whether animals would be able to reproduce across generations on the Moon, noting that fruit flies are pioneers in humanity's exploration of space.