If we hope to one day leave Earth and explore the universe, our bodies are going to have to get a lot better at surviving the harsh conditions of space. Using synthetic biology, Lisa Nip hopes to harness special powers from microbes on Earth -- such as the ability to withstand radiation -- to make humans more fit for exploring space. "We're approaching a time during which we'll have the capacity to decide our own genetic destiny," Nip says. "Augmenting the human body with new abilities is no longer a question of how, but of when."

Lisa Nip: How humans could evolve to survive in space

How humans could evolve to survive in space

Exploring space demands more than bravery; it requires us to rewrite the human blueprint using synthetic biology for survival.

From ionizing radiation on Mars to microgravity's toll on the body, the journey to the stars is a blueprint for bioengineering humans.

Harnessing extremophiles' powers could be the key to human evolution for space survival, turning science fiction into reality.