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| BIOLOGICAL LABS ON COMPACT DISC |
NASA is adapting tiny laboratories embedded in compact discs (CDs) to conduct biological tests aboard the International Space Station and to eventually look for life on other planets.
The CDs, with imbedded biological tests, are under evaluation by NASA scientists, and several academic and industrial partners. The miniature laboratories were adapted to detect life forms and chemicals derived from life. NASA's partners are Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.; Nanogen, Inc., La Jolla, Calif.; and the University of California, Irvine, Calif.
 | Photo No. ACD03-0200-001.JPG Photo Credit: Dom Hart |
 | Photo No. ACD03-0200-002.JPG Photo Credit: Dom Hart |
 | Photo No. ACD03-0200-003.JPG Photo Credit: Dom Hart |
 | Photo No. ACD03-0200-004.JPG Photo Credit: Dom Hart |
 | Photo No. ACD03-0200-005.JPG Photo Credit: Dom Hart |
 | Photo No. ACD03-0200-006.JPG Photo Credit: Dom Hart |
 | Photo No. ACD03-0200-007.JPG Photo Credit: Dom Hart |
 | Photo No. ACD03-0200-008.JPG Photo Credit: Dom Hart |
 | Photo No. ACD03-0200-009.JPG Photo Credit: Dom Hart |
 | A. Microscopic views of simple demonstration tests done by "Lab-on-a-CD to determine live and dead cells. The CDs with imbedded biological tests are now under evaluation by NASA scientists and several academic and industrial partners who recently developed the miniature laboratories that can detect life forms and chemicals derived from life. The partners are Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.; Nanogen, Inc., La Jolla, Calif. and the University of California, Irvine. |
 | (See Caption A above) |
 | B. There are two versions of the CD, which are about the same size as music CDs. One is plastic, similar to a standard CD, and is disposable. The other CD is made of glass and is reusable. |
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| (See Caption B above) |
 | (See Caption B above) |
 | C. To process the CDs, NASA Ames researchers and their partners have developed a suitcase-sized prototype instrument that is undergoing laboratory trials at Ames. To begin a test, a scientist places a liquid sample into a small opening near the center of the CD. The researcher then puts the disc in the prototype machine that spins the CD. During spinning, centrifugal force spreads the sample fluid from the center of the CD through tiny, capillary-like pipes and valves towards the outer edges of the disc and several clear observation areas. During the journey through the tiny pipes, special dyes and reagents in the CD combine with the sample. |
 | (See Caption C above) |
 | (See Caption C above) |
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