When I say “NASA,” you think of space, right? In any case, I immediately see the stars, the Moon and astronauts! So, imagine my astonishment when I learned that NASA was on a mission… on our Earth! To do what ? I met Carina Poulin, a Quebec scientist who works on this mission. She answered all my questions!
Your mission with NASA concerns plankton. But what is plankton?
Plankton is full of little beings that live in water. Plankton can be plants or animals, and they are the basis of the entire marine food chain! As it cannot resist the current, it never stays in the same place!
Why is NASA interested in plankton?
Even though they are tiny, these little beings are very numerous and play a super important role for our planet. They produce much of the oxygen on Earth. But that’s not all ! When plankton dies, the carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) it absorbed stays with it and sinks to the bottom of the water. It is thus kept away from the atmosphere for a while, which helps reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. This is called a natural carbon sink.
What does the mission consist of?
Some types of plankton feed fish, but others can be dangerous because they are toxic. It is therefore important to be able to differentiate between the various types of plankton to ensure that fishing and swimming, for example, are safe. And that’s exactly what this mission is trying to do! We want to differentiate between good and bad varieties of plankton, to know where they are and when they are there!
What is your most surprising discovery?
I learned that a type of plankton needs darkness at night. Just like humans, if he doesn’t sleep in a dark place, he will have more difficulty resting. It will even be affected the following day. A bit like when you’re tired because you didn’t sleep well during the night!
Marilys Beaudoin, Les Aces de l’info
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