Tiffany Sharp -Space Biology Lab

10/06/2026

Recent research has revealed that bumble bees are much more cognitively advanced than previously thought: They play with balls, count, recognize faces, and even feel rhythm. However, it has not been shown that they could achieve one of the highest peaks of cognitive performance: the ability to spontaneously solve a problem. Bhambore et al. tested this ability by providing bees with a ball that could be used as a tool to reach an otherwise unreachable flower reward. Bees that had been allowed to play with a ball and experience the flower spontaneously learned to move the ball to access the flower when they were present together.

Study; https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ady1618

🐝 Tiny Brains, Big Ideas

Bumblebees, despite having brains smaller than a sesame seed, can solve problems the same way chimpanzees do. A new study published in Science found that bees spontaneously figured out how to use a tool to reach an otherwise inaccessible reward, without any training to do so.

🔬 How the Experiment Worked

Researchers at Finland's University of Oulu trained bumblebees to associate a blue dot with a sugary treat, then placed that dot on the ceiling of the enclosure. The bees had a small styrofoam ball nearby. Without any prompting, they rolled the ball under the dot to use it as a stepping stool, an unprompted problem-solving move that mirrors the classic "box-and-banana" experiment where chimps stack boxes to grab hanging fruit.

🧠 Ruling Out a Simple Explanation

Skeptics might wonder if the bees were just reacting to visual cues from the blue dot rather than actually "thinking." The researchers addressed this by adding barriers that blocked the bees' view of the goal while they rolled the ball. The bees still succeeded, pointing to something more than simple perceptual feedback at work.

💡 What Makes This Finding Stand Out

Insects have previously shown they can use tools and learn from each other, but this is the first time they've shown spontaneous, insight-based problem-solving on par with vertebrates. The scale of the difference in brain size makes it all the more striking. A bee has roughly 1 million neurons; a chimpanzee has about 2.8 billion. Study author Olli Loukola put it plainly: "Our study suggests insects may belong in that conversation too."

03/06/2026

What was meant to be a working lunch turned into nearly 4 hours of deeply engaging conversation, and honestly, I wouldn't have had it any other way.

I had the privilege of sitting down with Lieutenant Colonel Jan Eldeblad Swedish Defence Attaché, and the time simply flew. When you find genuine alignment on what matters, shared values, resilient communities, and the kind of leadership that puts people and purpose first, the clock stops being front of mind

We covered a lot of ground: how to deepen the relationship between our two space faring countries, one established, one emerging. Ideas to better support collaboration across industries, and communities and the concrete steps we can take to strengthen that partnership in meaningful, lasting ways.

Sweden and Australia share more than geography could ever explain. We share a worldview. And conversations like this one remind me why values-driven leadership isn't just an ideal, it's a foundation.

I left the meeting thinking, this is what genuine collaboration looks like,not ceremony, but action.

Watch this space...

10/05/2026

Australia's Space Microgravity Research Sector 🚀 Here's your round-up of the breakthroughs shaping our sector in 2026.

From a landmark Australia–Sweden microgravity alliance to cancer cells on rockets, plasma water fighting superbugs, edge AI processing biology in orbit, parabolic research and a high-altitude airship, Australia's space story has never been more exciting.

🌏 THE SSC SPACE PARTNERSHIP
Cambrian Defence & Space has formalised a landmark partnership with SSC Space (formerly the Swedish Space Corporation) the only primary Australasian SSC Space representative in our region. With nearly 60 years of launch heritage, Cambrian acts as prime contractor, mission organiser and pathway architect, handling mission design, client delivery and the full end-to-end pathway to space. Access spans parabolic flights, suborbital rockets, high-altitude platforms and orbital opportunities. Next mission: October 2026.

💧 PLASMA-ACTIVATED WATER & AMR, RICHTER LAB, A/Prof Katharina Richter, PhD
PhD researchers at the Richter Lab (University of Adelaide) are advancing plasma-activated water (PAW) as an antibiotic-free strategy against drug-resistant bacteria. With Cambrian as PhD industry supervisor, applications extend to space medicine, AUKUS submarine environments and wound care in remote settings. Clinical Phase I trials are underway!

🔬 CAMBRIAN LEADS MICROGRAVITY CANCER RESEARCH MISSION
Cambrian has created a landmark microgravity cancer research mission carrying the research of Dr Nirmal Robinson, the Centre for Cancer Biology (University of Adelaide) and SAHMRI. Cancer stem cells will fly aboard a suborbital rocket from Sweden, where microgravity enables 3D tumour-like structures impossible to study on Earth. In partnership with Blue Dwarf Space, funded by the SA Government's Space Collaboration and Innovation Fund

🛰 AI MEETS SPACE BIOLOGY
AICRAFT & ResearchSat have partnered to deploy edge computing modules for real-time on-orbit analysis of biological experiments combining space data with hybrid AI to create microgravity digital twins that could transform pharmaceutical development. An ISS proof-of-concept mission is on the roadmap.

🎈Stratoship
Stratoship's SZ-155 reached 65,780ft above Queensland in May 2025 Australia's first sovereign HAPS to reach the stratosphere, spending 8+ hours at altitude. A January 2026 alliance with Orbit2Orbit and Sunburnt Space Co creates a staged lab-to-orbit pathway

🚀 Gilmour Space + UWA PARABOLIC RESEARCH TEAM
Adam Gilmour made history with Australia's first orbital rocket launch attempt in July 2025 and is targeting a return-to-flight in 2026. The University of WA will fly zero-gravity research team in October 2026 via a CNES partnership aboard the Airbus A310 Zero-G. Same aircraft that trained astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg. International Space Centre

Australia is no longer watching space research from the sidelines. The pathway has never been more accessible. Let's connect.

03/05/2026

Space Yarns Part 2 (Podcast) Southern Skies Production
0:01 First Do No Harm – How do you go from practicing Clinical Nutrition in counselling centers to Space Scientist? Cambrian Defence & Space

2:38 Thesis to International Space University Scholarship SHSSP – the ‘fabulous intensive’

7:00 Within 12mths of ISU, Launching Rockets Microgravity Research, co-founding DEI initiatives, Space Education Outreach and Women Veterans Study Australian Defence Force

8:00 Safe easy Pathway to Space for Researchers

8.05 People at NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration are on time – Do you know why?

9:00 Benefits of International Space University Course ISU Alumni Network International Space University

11:00 Why Space?

11:50 The Reason for our Pacific Island Nations and Space Education focus est 2023

13:03 One Giant Leap Australia to the Rescue

16:00 Aeronautical Congress IAC25Sydney, presentation Space Biology International Astronautical Federation

17:03 What’s Next: Cambrian Creating Microgravity Economy, Eco-system, Microgravity Research Pathways. Next mission Cancer Research

23:00 My microgravity microbial research on SB – gut-brain-axis, space probiotics, mitigation tool for hostile environments to mitigate anxiety and mood disorders

25:00 Would be nice to see our work, our research even our Cambrian partnered researchers and discussions that has created ‘inspiration’ acknowledged, ripples on a pond

26:51 The wisdom of Sunny

27:20 Lessons from Clinic practice relevant for working in Space R&D - go above and beyond to seek answers, eternal student, diversity of thought

32:00 Last Warning …

Listen: https://lnkd.in/gKDeBNQz

If you missed part 1 https://lnkd.in/gZmfhUtC

Brought to you by Space Yarns at the Southern Skies Project – Thomas Windsor intrepid adventurer https://lnkd.in/gWtxVxaj

22/04/2026

Roughly 20–35% of active astronauts are over 50, recent Sunita Williams (stranded not stranded) is over 60yrs, and Peggy flew into her 60's, most are the CO's commanders of the mission, snr role

The crew of Artemis II Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen represents decades of dedication to space exploration. Ranging in age from 47 to 50, each astronaut brings years of technical expertise, mission training, and operational experience required for deep space travel. Their selection reflects not just individual achievement, but the long-term commitment needed to reach this level.

The mission will carry humans approximately 384,400 kilometers from Earth, looping around the Moon and marking one of the farthest crewed journeys since the Apollo era. This distance underscores the complexity of navigation, communication, and life support systems required beyond low Earth orbit. It also highlights the importance of human judgment and experience in environments where real-time decisions can be critical.

Beyond its technical significance, Artemis II sends a broader message about achievement and timing. It shows that peak performance often emerges after years of preparation, resilience, and continuous learning. The mission stands as a powerful example that human capability can grow over time, leading to historic milestones later in life.

Sources: NASA Artemis Program; astronaut biography records.

20/04/2026

'Space Yarns' with Thomas Windsor - I divulge all to Thomas, freshly back from Casey Station in Antarctica, Thomas had time to interview me on his podcast before heading back out to the Simpson Desert on Camel-back, a true intrepid voyager heralding science, sustainability and new technologies in hostile environments.

Part 1 explores - Benefits of Microgravity for Researchers & Scientists, the benefits of Northern and Southern Hemisphere rocket launches to benefit humanity. 🚀

:30 Our Rocket launch with SSC Space & German Aerospace Center (DLR) Sub orbital express, at that time their new DLR Redkite motor

2:00 Why, microgravity research with sub orbital flight?

3:00 What it’s like for scientist on the rocket base in Sweden, weather, launch return, safety protocols

6:30 Our new partners SSC Space the most important factor – international collaboration to solve ‘complex problems’ to benefit humanity, the importance of trust

8.10 There’s nothing like the feeling and sound of a rocket launch

10.45 The benefits of launching in the Southern Hemisphere, Australia, with launch providers that have large land mass capability for sample return – further, faster, longer

12:27 My microbial research findings – why the interest in two single cell fungi and E.coli, future use probiotics in space and hostile environments

15:20 Background scoping study indicates SB increases bacteroidettes by >37%

16:00 Why sub-orbital microgravity launch and not orbital? Process of elimination before expense of orbital launch, noting which microbials were hardier for longer in space

18:00 Use of probiotics to assist- as a myriad of tools at ones disposal- to assist in mitigating mood dysregulation in hostile environments, impact on gut microbiome in close quarters living

20:00 Research for health science illuminating an OTC therapy as simply another tool at individuals and community disposal, more research required to confirm utilisation

Listen 20min - https://audio.com/southern-skies-project/audio/ssp-space-yarns-tiffany-sharp-part-1

https://southernskiesproject.au/spaceyarns/

17/04/2026

Krister Sjölander, president of science services at SSC Space, said the partnership (sic with Cambrian) would help scale access to space-based research.

“By combining our flight heritage with Cambrian’s strong local presence, we’re creating a practical and scalable pathway for customers to access microgravity environments,” he said. “We’re excited to explore new scientific and commercial opportunities through this platform.”

Australian firm Cambrian Defence & Space has struck a major international partnership with Sweden’s SSC Space, opening up new opportunities for space-based research across Australasia.

08/04/2026

We were on ABC Radio National this morning, speaking about our upcoming rocket launch with important cancer cell research on board. Dr Nirmal Robinson, Robinson's Lab at the Centre for Cancer Biology and Tiffany Sharp CEO Cambrian

*Clarify 8m body - 12-15m DLR rocket

Artemis II's success in transporting humans further than ever before is not the only exciting space mission Aussies are involved with this year.