Clinostats: Simulating Microgravity on Earth
Join bioastronautics researcher Gil Cauthorn as he explains how specialized devices called clinostats allow us to study plant biology under simulated microgravity conditions right here on Earth.
How Plants Sense Gravity
[00:01:28] Plants use gravity to orient themselves as they grow. Stems typically grow toward light sources, but in the absence of light, they grow in the opposite direction of the gravity vector. On Earth, plants grow upwards in a uniform pattern, but in space, this growth becomes sporadic, affecting how they uptake nutrients and exchange gases.
[00:02:44] This orientation is possible because of specialized organelles called statoliths. These act like tiny “beads” within specialized cells. In the stem, statoliths settle and signal the plant to grow away from gravity (upward), while in the roots, they signal the plant to grow toward it (downward).
What is a Clinostat?
[00:05:11] To test these effects on Earth, researchers use a clinostat—a device that continually rotates a plant at a defined rate. This rotation prevents the statoliths from settling in one direction, essentially “confusing” the plant so it doesn’t know which way is down. This allows scientists to simulate microgravity or even partial gravity environments like those found on the Moon (1/6th gravity) or Mars (3/8ths gravity).
DIY Space Biology: Building Your Own
[00:07:43] You don’t need expensive laboratory equipment to simulate space gravity. Lori Waters shares how her students in Florida built functional clinostats using K’NEX sets and solar panels. These models used petri dishes attached to a rotating motor, forcing students to troubleshoot engineering challenges like weight stabilization and energy limitations.
[00:10:29] Similarly, Ian demonstrates how to build a clinostat using LEGO simple machine sets or EV3 robotics kits. By using LEGO gears, cogs, and motors, students can program their own rotation rates and inclinations to experiment with different gravity levels.
Practical Investigations
[00:06:31] Researchers like Gil take thousands of photographs of plants—such as microgreens—growing on clinostats at different light treatments and speeds. These images are then analyzed using specialized software to map out the architecture of the roots, stems, and leaves to understand exactly how gravity (or the lack of it) changes the plant.
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