Nano-Suit Protects Bugs From Vacuums 75
sciencehabit writes "Put a fruit fly larva in a spacelike vacuum, and the results aren't pretty. Within a matter of minutes, the animal will collapse into a crinkled, lifeless husk. Now, researchers have found a way to protect the bugs: Bombard them with electrons, which form a 'nano-suit' around their bodies. The advance could help scientists take high-resolution photographs of tiny living organisms. It also suggests a new way that creatures could survive the harsh conditions of outer space and may even lead to new space travel technology for humans."
Work is also being done on electron "suits" that protect against radiation.
Re:shockingly (Score:3, Interesting)
Insects breathe through their skin. Covering it in a polymer is like putting a plastic bag over your head: You might not be dead yet, but lifeless-huskiness is just a few moments away.