Polish scientists name new tardigrade species after Hero of Ukraine Bizhan Sharopov
Polish researchers working in Ecuador have discovered a new species of tardigrade and named it after Bizhan Sharopov, a Ukrainian biologist and soldier who was killed in action in 2022.
Source: Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
Details: Tardigrades (Tardigrada) are microscopic invertebrates known for their ability to survive in extreme conditions – from outer space to boiling temperatures, radiation and complete dehydration.
These organisms can enter a state of cryptobiosis, in which their metabolism nearly stops, allowing them to survive for decades.
A team of scientists from the universities of Poznań and Gdańsk recently described several new tardigrade species discovered in Ecuador in the journal Plos.One.
One of them – Macrobiotus sharopovi – was named in honour of Hero of Ukraine Bizhan Sharopov.
"The authors dedicated the species name to Ukrainian scientist Dr Bizhan Sharopov, neurophysiologist, activist and soldier who tragically died in action defending Ukraine during the Russia–Ukraine War," the article reads.
A new species of tardigrade named after Bizhan Sharopov.
Photo: journal Plos.One
Sharopov graduated from the biology programme at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. He was an active participant in the Revolution of Dignity and served in the Aidar battalion in 2014-2015.
After being demobilised, he defended his PhD thesis and continued his scientific work.
From 2019 to 2021, Sharopov chaired the Council of Young Scientists at the Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology and was a researcher at the Department of Neuromuscular Physiology at the same institute, as well as the chief biologist at Ukrainian Genetic Technologies.
At the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Sharopov returned to the front as part of the 112th Territorial Defence Brigade. He went missing in action in April 2022.
"You were a brilliant scientist. One of the best science communicators in the country. And you were a true warrior. Heroes die, sadly. It's hard to fathom the abyss of ideas and plans that perished with you," wrote his friend and physicist Anton Senenko.
In 2023, his death was officially confirmed and he was posthumously awarded the title Hero of Ukraine.
In 2024, a final paper he had been working on was published posthumously in the prestigious Journal of Physiology (London).
Background: Ukrainian researchers have previously named a newly discovered insect species after the Heavenly Hundred, the group of protesters killed during the Revolution of Dignity.
Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Polish scientists name new tardigrade species after Hero of Ukraine Bizhan Sharopov
Polish researchers working in Ecuador have discovered a new species of tardigrade and named it after Bizhan Sharopov, a Ukrainian biologist and soldier who was killed in action in 2022. Source: Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Details: Tardigrades (Tardigrada) are microscopic invertebrates known for their ability to survive in extreme conditions – from outer space to boiling temperatures, radiation and complete dehydration. These organisms can enter a state of cryptobiosis, in which their metabolism nearly stops, allowing them to survive for decades. A team of scientists from the universities of Poznań and Gdańsk recently described several new tardigrade species discovered in Ecuador in the journal One of them – Macrobiotus sharopovi – was named in honour of Hero of Ukraine Bizhan Sharopov. "The authors dedicated the species name to Ukrainian scientist Dr Bizhan Sharopov, neurophysiologist, activist and soldier who tragically died in action defending Ukraine during the Russia–Ukraine War," the article reads. A new species of tardigrade named after Bizhan Sharopov. Photo: journal Sharopov graduated from the biology programme at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. He was an active participant in the Revolution of Dignity and served in the Aidar battalion in 2014-2015. After being demobilised, he defended his PhD thesis and continued his scientific work. From 2019 to 2021, Sharopov chaired the Council of Young Scientists at the Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology and was a researcher at the Department of Neuromuscular Physiology at the same institute, as well as the chief biologist at Ukrainian Genetic Technologies. At the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Sharopov returned to the front as part of the 112th Territorial Defence Brigade. He went missing in action in April 2022. "You were a brilliant scientist. One of the best science communicators in the country. And you were a true warrior. Heroes die, sadly. It's hard to fathom the abyss of ideas and plans that perished with you," wrote his friend and physicist Anton Senenko. In 2023, his death was officially confirmed and he was posthumously awarded the title Hero of Ukraine. In 2024, a final paper he had been working on was published posthumously in the prestigious Journal of Physiology (London). Background: Ukrainian researchers have previously named a newly discovered insect species after the Heavenly Hundred, the group of protesters killed during the Revolution of Dignity. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Bloomberg
Golden Dome Is a Chance for Superpowers to Make Space Safer
It's hardly surprising that some of the loudest objections to the Pentagon's proposed ' Golden Dome ' missile shield have come from Russia and China, who warn the system will spur a new nuclear arms race. Instead of minimizing such concerns, the US should leverage them to forge rules that will make space safer for everyone. Talks about establishing norms of behavior in space have been stalled for years at the United Nations, as Russia and China have pushed instead for a legally binding treaty banning the deployment of weapons in orbit. Golden Dome helps explain why. Traditionally, space-based missile defense has been considered destabilizing because it encourages adversaries to build up their arsenals in response, and because a truly successful shield could encourage the US to launch a nuclear first strike, confident it could deflect any counterattack.
Gizmodo
3 days ago
- Gizmodo
New Russian Satellite Appears to Be Stalking U.S. Satellite in Orbit
A recently launched Russian satellite is getting uncomfortably cozy with a U.S. reconnaissance satellite, leading Space Command to worry that it's part of an anti-satellite weapon being deployed to orbit. Cosmos 2588 launched on May 23 to a near-circular orbit, placing it eerily close to a U.S. reconnaissance satellite, USA 338. The move prompted suspicion that it's an attempt by Russia to deliberately stalk the U.S. government satellite. This isn't the first time Russia has deployed a sneaky satellite to trail behind and allegedly observe another satellite in orbit, but this time it may be connected to Russia's controversial anti-satellite program. 'U.S. Space Command can confirm Russia's recent launch put a Russian satellite into an orbit near a U.S. government satellite,' a Space Command spokesperson is quoted as saying to Breaking Defense. 'Russia continues to research, develop, test, and deploy a suite of counter space systems that threaten the safety and the stability of the domain, so consistent with all on-orbit objects, USSPACECOM will continue to monitor for concerning behavior or activity related to this launch.' Slingshot Aerospace reports that the alleged spy satellite, Cosmos 2588, is a NIVELIR military inspection satellite likely carrying a kinetic weapon onboard. Its alignment with USA 338 'strongly suggests COSMOS 2588 may be actively monitoring or 'chasing' it,' the satellite tracking company wrote in a statement. Slingshot Aerospace has been tracking the two satellites, revealing that Cosmos 2588 is orbiting at a slightly higher altitude and that the two objects will have a close flyby of one another roughly every four days. The two satellites come as close as 62 miles (100 kilometers) from one another, Marco Langbroek, an astronomer and expert on space situational awareness at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, wrote on X. Not much else is known about USA 338 as it doesn't have publicly available orbital data, but it is believed to be a part of the National Reconnaissance Office's KH-series electro-optical surveillance network, known as the Crystal constellation, according to Interesting Engineering. This isn't the first time Russia has allegedly deployed a satellite for such a purpose. In April 2023, a Russian satellite appeared to be closely trailing a classified U.S. military satellite, and Russia's Kosmos 2558, launched in August 2022, was deployed into the same orbital plane as a U.S. military satellite, dubbed USA 326. In 2020, another Russian satellite, Kosmos 2542, stalked USA 245, an electro-optical spy satellite in low Earth orbit. The U.S. isn't completely innocent either. In June 2017, classified U.S. military satellite USA 276 snuck up on the International Space Station at a close distance of about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers). Earlier in 1998, hobbyists discovered a U.S. satellite that was believed to have been used for space spying purposes as well. Russia's satellites, however, are believed to be part of the country's efforts to develop an anti-satellite weapon designed to destroy other objects in space. In November 2021, Russia destroyed a defunct Soviet-era satellite in low Earth orbit, producing thousands of pieces of orbital debris. The test prompted the United Nations to draft a resolution against tests of anti-satellite (ASAT) missile systems, which was led by the Biden administration after the U.S. adopted a self-imposed ban on ASAT tests. A total of 155 countries voted in favor of the resolution, while nine voted against it, including Russia, China, Cuba, Syria, and Iran. 'This is the fourth time in five years that they launch a satellite into a coplanar orbit with a US optical reconnaissance satellite,' Langbroek wrote on X. 'So no, not mere coincidence but deliberate.'
