Sept. 15, 2009 -- Researchers have levitated small mice in a powerful magnetic field that simulates the gravity-free world of space. Their work calls attention to a technology that could help unravel a range of phenomena from the physics of fluids to the genetic underpinnings of osteoporosis. The research by scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif., is intended to supplement and verify experiments conducted aboard the International Space Station, which last month received its first batch of mice for a long-duration stay. "We can use this facility to create microgravity for a long period of time," lead researcher Yuanming Liu told Discovery News. "We can study if prolonged exposure to reduced gravity can have a long-term impact on the physiology of the mouse." Levitation devices that generate magnetic fields to counter the tug of gravity have been around for several years, though none have been large enough to float something as big as a mouse. Bruce Hammer, a professor of radiology at the University of Minnesota, uses magnetic levitation to learn about genes that impact bone loss. Related Content:
"Gravity does affect gene expression," said Hammer, who works with cultures of bone cells rather than live animals. "If you work with an animal, it gets very difficult. If you have them inside the magnet and they're confined, they're going to have reactions that may mask gravitational effects. They're not going to be happy being there." Liu's team found that out first-hand. "The mice were disoriented in the beginning. It was spinning inside of the magnet," he said. Scientists tried again with a mouse that had been sedated. They also provided a cage for it to hang onto while the magnetic force, which acts upon water, floated its body. The mouse acclimated to its new environment and began eating, Liu said. Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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