Enhanced Pesticides from Space
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a natural bacteria found all over the Earth, has a fairly novel way of getting rid of unwanted insects. Bt forms a protein substance (shown on the right) that is not harmful to humans, birds, fish or other vertebrates. But when eaten by insect larvae, the protein causes a fatal loss of appetite. For over 25 years, agricultural chemical companies have relied heavily upon safe, Bt-based pesticides. New space based research, however, promises to give the insecticide a new dimension in effectiveness and applicability.
Development in Space along
with Industrial affiliates such
as Abott Labs and Penn State
University are flying Bt on a
Space Shuttle mission in fall 1996.
Researchers expect that the
Shuttle’s microgravity environment
will reveal new information about the
Bt protein that will make it more effective against a wider