Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #32688: Can Worms Help Clean Up Space? The Surprising Power of Galleria mellonella

Imagine tiny larvae munching on plastic—yes, the same kind that pollutes our Earth—and now imagine sending those larvae into space. That’s exactly what the Microgravity Environment Impact on Plastic Biodegradation by Galleria mellonella experiment did on Expedition 67 aboard the International Space Station (ISS). This project explores how microgravity affects the ability of waxworm larvae to degrade polyethylene, one of the most common plastic pollutants on Earth. Waxworms have naturally evolved to chew through beeswax, and recent discoveries revealed they could also digest plastic. This sparked interest from scientists at Arkansas State University, the Arkansas Biosciences Institute, and Nanoracks LLC, who designed a space-based experiment to test how these larvae perform under the unique conditions of space.

The goal? To better understand if biodegradation processes can be effective beyond Earth, potentially paving the way for sustainable waste management on long-term missions or future Mars colonies. The ISS provided the ideal testbed, allowing researchers to monitor the larvae’s behavior, survival, and biodegradation activity in a controlled microgravity environment. Would the worms still eat plastic? Would they digest it in the same way? What enzymes were involved, and would space change them?

These questions touch not just on environmental science but also on biotechnology and space sustainability. The experiment’s findings could lead to enhanced enzyme production methods or the development of engineered microorganisms capable of plastic breakdown in hostile environments.

Beyond the science, this project has deep educational value. Students can visualize how a simple biological system—worms and plastic—becomes a complex and cutting-edge scientific experiment in orbit. It emphasizes that solutions to Earth’s problems might very well come from space, and that even the tiniest creatures can have a galactic impact.

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