Reanimation of Nostoc sp.
The Nostoc belong to a very special realm, are neither plants nor animals; to the realm of bacteria. This sample comes from the Russian steppe near Volgograd and was in a plastic bag for 17 years. In spring 2020 under bright sunlight and bone-dry air, I started reactivating my Nostoc samples. Such a platelet took just 30 seconds, and the offered drop of water of the same size was absorbed. After about five minutes it had reached its greatest extent and the heap of gelatin turned green and remained stable for many hours until it began to dry out and the mesentery became smaller and less attractive and at the end, after drying under intense sunlight, became a dark platelet again.
In a publication, I read, unfortunately without further indication of the source, that a collection specimen that had been in the drawer for more than a hundred years could be brought to life. It's a pity that I don't have the time to check that with my collected specimens. But my grandchildren could take care of the matter, after all, such organisms could also be used for terraforming. Or will exist sophisticated technical aids to oxygen production on Mars in the future?
Technical data
Genus: Nostoc sp.
Location. Russian steppe near Volgograd
Time of collection: August 2003
Storage: Dark, dry, and sealed in a plastic bag
Storage time: 17 years
Wetting: A drop of water
Recording: 28 April 2020, 8:30
Weather conditions during recording: Dry, bright sun radiation, cloudless, 15°C air temperature
Length of the recorded sequence: 10 min with 600 pictures, one picture per second
#nostoc #cyanobacteria