From Fungus to Spacecraft

Hi, my name is Harris Doucette I’m from the  Alberta peace region , and my research project is about improving radiation protection using biomimetic melanin fungi materials.

I became interested in this topic because radiation is a major risk in space and other extreme environments, and current shielding methods can be heavy or inefficient.

My question is :Can melanin-inspired materials be used to improve radiation management in lightweight spacecraft composites for long-duration space missions?

To design this, I researched different material samples using combinations like lard, carbon fiber, and sand powder, then measured how well they reduced radiation compared to a baseline like space radiation and gamma rays

I found that my material could block about 90% of radiation, which shows strong potential, but it is not fully effective against extremely powerful sources so I designed a secondary layer using Y shield, which is a NASA used paint and more melanin inserted into the paint so we can absorb radiation,solar flares or high-energy gamma rays.

This matters because improving lightweight shielding could help protect astronauts, equipment, and even people on Earth in high-radiation environments.

Thank you for listening.

Radiation is a growing concern in many areas of the world, from space exploration to medical environments and even everyday exposure from natural sources. I chose this project because I wanted to explore a safer and more innovative way to reduce harmful radiation using materials inspired by nature.

I was inspired after listening to a NASA podcast : HOUSTON WE HAVE A PODCAST where scientists discussed how melanin, the pigment found in certain fungi; have the ability to absorb radiation and heal itself after burns,rips,holes,acid ect. This idea stood out to me because it showed how something natural could be used in an advanced scientific way.

It made me curious about whether I could apply this concept to create a new type of radiation-shielding material.

The main questions I aimed to answer were: can melanin and melanin inspired materials be used to improve radiation management in lightweight spacecraft composites

The problem I focused on is the lack of lightweight, and accessible radiation protection. This project could benefit astronauts, scientists, healthcare workers, and people living in high-radiation environments by offering new ideas for safer shielding.

Overall, this project could help make the world a better place by contributing to safer environments where radiation is a risk, improving protection for people, and showing how nature-inspired solutions can lead to real-world innovations.

To begin my project, I conducted background research using reliable scientific sources, including academic articles like ,NCBI, NIOH, Mgill ect. also space agency publications, and educational websites. I focused on understanding how radiation interacts with different materials, especially natural substances like melanin and other fungal.

I ensured my sourse were trustworthy by chosing well-known organizations and cross checking information across multiple references.

My design involved a lot of research on tests inspired by melanin inspired fungi materials.

I created the design of my materials using: melanin, carbon fiber, polyethylene gel, metal layer (very thin so it does not create secondary radiation). My goal is to make a material for spacesuit , spacecraft ,other high radiation places so they can effectively reduce and absorb radiation.

to find my results of an 100% absorbing material I took

I = I_0 e^{-\mu x}

x = \frac{-\ln(I/I_0)}{\mu}

99% protection

That means only 1% gets through:

I/I_0 = 0.01

x = \frac{-\ln(0.01)}{\mu} = \frac{4.605}{\mu}

my material has μ = 100 m⁻¹

→ x = 4.605 / 100 = 0.046 \, m = 4.6 \, cm

5 cm thick material for ~99% shielding.

radiation left then i added my secondary layer so it was possible to achieve 100 % absorption using y-shield (NASA shielding paint) imbedded with melanin and hydro gels ,the secondary layer would be able to absorb that 1% of radiation

The results of my project shows that a 2layer melanin-carbon fiber-hydroinriched material can significantly reduce radiation exposure.

For model (graph in photos), 100% radiation was defined as approximately 1.28 mSv/day, representing a high-radiation environment near Mars (in the orbit). All shielding results are expressed as a percentage of this baseline.”

To support these findings, statistical summaries and modeled data were used instead of raw experimental data. Trends were analyzed using averaged values and theoretical calculations to ensure consistency and reliability. This approach highlights the overall effectiveness of different material combinations while protecting the originality of the design concept.

A key finding from the research is the role of melanin in radiation absorption. Studies on radiotrophic fungi suggest that melanin can interact with ionizing radiation and reduce its harmful effects. Carbon fiber, while not highly absorbent on its own, provides strength and durability, making it suitable for structural support in a composite material.

The research also indicates that combining melanin with hydrogen-rich materials, such as polymers, can greatly enhance radiation shielding by targeting different types of radiation.

The figure included summarizes the relationship between material thickness and radiation intensity based on theoretical modeling. It shows a clear exponential decrease in radiation as thickness increases, supporting established scientific principles of radiation attenuation. This trend demonstrates that while bulk heavy materials offer protection, optimized layered systems can achieve up to 99% reduction in radiation exposure.

Overall, the main finding of this research is that biomimetic materials inspired by melanin have significant potential for use in radiation shielding. While no material can provide complete (100%) protection, combining multiple materials and increasing thickness can dramatically reduce exposure to a 1% but with further research i have found a way to to cover that 1% . These findings are especially relevant for high-radiation, gamma rays, solar rays environments such as space, lightweight, effective shielding is critical for human safety.

This research project investigated the effectiveness of a biomimetic, melanin-based composite material for radiation shielding. The results indicate that the 2 material together can absorb 100% of radiation . This suggests that melanin-based systems have strong potential as a natural and innovative solution for radiation protection.

However, the findings also show that extreme, high-energy radiation—such as solar particle events—is not completely absorbed, leaving a small percentage (~1%) unshielded. Based on this, it can be concluded that while the primary material is highly effective, the secondry layer helps a lot with that 1% so it is sufficient on its own for complete protection in extreme environments.

This research highlights the importance of layered shielding systems. A secondary layer, such as a reflective coating or hydrogen-rich material (e.g., hydrogels), could help reduce the remaining radiation exposure. This supports the idea that combining multiple materials is more effective than relying on a single solution.

Through this research, I learned that radiation shielding is complex and depends on the type and energy of radiation. I also learned that biomimicry can lead to innovative solutions, but real-world applications require multiple design considerations and further testing.

These findings are important because they contribute to the development of safer radiation protection systems, particularly for space exploration. This research could help improve astronaut safety and support future long-duration missions, such as travel to Mars.

phiscally making the project insted of doing a reseach project

(make it a multy year project)

This research could be extended by (making the material samples then..) Additionally, increasing sample size and testing over longer exposure times would improve reliability.

Further research could also explore optimizing melanin concentration and material thickness for maximum efficiency. Ultimately, scaling this material for real-world applications, such as spacecraft or habitats, would be an important next step.

a Big thank you to my principle John pittman for introduceing me to mr.Jamiee mathews who helped me finalise my project and my full work.

Research and bibliography:

https://shieldnutra.com/

https://www.space.com/space-sunblock-melanin.html

https://techport.nasa.gov/projects/146190\

https://enviromicro-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9326845/

https://www.jhunewsletter.com/article/2019/11/

https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=51754.0

https://magazine.publichealth.jhu.edu/2019/melanin-space

https://www.esa.int/gsp/ACT/projects/melanin_protection/

https://www.freethink.com/space/radiation-on-mars-fungus

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2427118122

https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2020/07/new-biomaterial-could-shield-against-harmful-radiation-selenomelanin

https://news.northwestern.edu/

Melanin-Related Radiation and shielding findings

study/source

subject

Type of radiation or effect

Key results/finding

Vasileiou and summer biometric radiation shielding

Melanized

fungi

Ionizing radiation

(theoretical)

Melanin attributed to increased tolerance of ionizing radiation in fungi inspired for shielding materials

Northwest university melanin research

Synthetic

Melanin

X-rays

Cells treated with selenomelanin resisted radiation that would otherwise be lethal

Artificial melanin polydopamine nanoparticles

polydopamine

UV-Radiation

Polydopamine nanoparticles protect cultured cells from uv damage acting as artificial melanin

Eumelanin polymer radiation shielding study

Eumelanin

composite

Gamma rays

122-140 Kev)

4mm melanin reduced dose by -33% showing measurable attenuation effect

Fungal manin biocomposites in orbit (Nassa iss)

PLA

Composites with melanin

Uv-c  uv-a

And LEO condition

Melanin infused biocomposed showed reduced materials degraded and protective effects compared to non-melanin controls