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Experiment in space
Much thought and a number of microorganisms are going into a container which will fly on the next-to-last Apollo moon mission.The container, smaller (41/2 x 41/2 x 93/4 inches) than a cigar box, is to be placed aboard Apollo XVI, scheduled for next March.According to National Aeronautics and Space Administration microbiologist Gerald R. Taylor, PhD, this is essentially "a study to see what the difference is between ultravioletmediated changes on the ground and ultraviolet-mediated changes in space."As a hypothetical example of what some previous space studies have shown, he told an interviewer: "You do a lot of base line work, and you say, 'If we irradiate these organisms under these conditions, 83% of them will die.' Then you fly them, bring them back, and—lo and behold—50% of the organisms still are alive."Insofar as possible in one experiment, this 1972 study will try to