**Moss Spores Survive Vacuum and Radiation Outside ISS, Paving Way for Off-World Ecosystems**

A Japanese research team has made a groundbreaking discovery, revealing that moss spores can astonishingly endure the extreme conditions of outer space for nearly a year. This unexpected resilience, observed outside the International Space Station (ISS), has significant implications for future space agriculture and the potential creation of extraterrestrial ecosystems.

For 283 days, the moss spores were exposed to the unforgiving environment of space, including the vacuum, intense radiation, and extreme temperature fluctuations ranging from a frigid -196°C to a scorching 55°C. Researchers had sent various moss structures as part of their experiment, including protonemata (young moss), breeding cells, and encapsulated sporophytes.

Contrary to initial expectations that such delicate plant life would perish, the results showed an remarkable survival rate: 80% of the moss spores retained their reproductive capacity upon their return to Earth. While other moss structures failed to survive the brutal cosmic conditions, the spores displayed an exceptional ability to withstand the harsh onslaught, highlighting the incredible durability of these plant cells.

This finding fundamentally shifts our understanding of life’s adaptability beyond Earth. The ability of moss spores to survive and potentially reproduce in hostile environments suggests new possibilities for cultivating plants in space, supporting long-duration missions, and establishing self-sustaining ecosystems on celestial bodies like the Moon or Mars.

The research not only expands our knowledge of extremophile life but also provides a crucial step towards creating sustainable habitats away from our planet. This discovery offers new perspectives in the fields of astrobiology, space agriculture, and the long-term sustainability of human presence in the cosmos.