UM atUM [S03-ep12]: Fish on the Moon
This week on *AUM science*, Cyrille Przybyla talks to us about space aquaculture—or how to raise fish on the Moon. A in-depth interview for the final episode of *AUM science* in 2023. A program co-produced with Divergence FM and broadcast every Wednesday at 6 p.m. on 93.9.
In 2015, astronauts on the International Space Station tasted the first lettuce grown in space. Since then, radishes, wheat, and even chili peppers have taken root at an altitude of more than 400,000 kilometers. It’s a luxury when most of the food available on board is irradiated, freeze-dried, or canned—but it’s not enough to satisfy hunger either, especially with an eye toward future missions to the Moon.
So how can we ensure these astronauts get their share of protein—especially animal protein—as well as vitamins and omega-3s? Thanks to fish! Except that, unless there’s a miraculous catch, you’ll agree there’s little chance of spotting a fish’s tail in the Sea of Serenity. It was to address this lunar challenge that our guest lifted his hands out of the water and reached toward the sky. Cyrille Przybyla is a marine biologist at the Ifremer L-3AS laboratory and the Marbec laboratory; he specializes in integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA), and what he proposes borders on magic, since it involves sending fish eggs into space to raise them…on the Moon.
More info:
- Learn more about the Lunar Hatch mission by watching the video from the French Astronomy Association
- Read the article “Embryogenesis of an Aquaculture Fish (Dicentrarchus labrax) Under Simulated Altered Gravity”
AtUM , you’ve got the schedule—let’s get started!
Co-production: Divergence FM / University of Montpellier
Host: Lucie Lecherbonnier
Interview: Aline Périault / Lucie Lecherbonnier
Director: Alice Rollet
Check out theUM podcasts,UM available on your favorite platform (Spotify, Deezer, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, etc.).