Mystery Bacteria Discovered on China’s Tiangong Space Station: What Its Space Resistance Means for Future Missions

Scientists have made an exciting discovery inside China’s Tiangong space station. They found a new strain of bacteria called Niallia tiangongensis. This unique microbe, named after the space station, is linked to a soil-dwelling bacterium that can cause serious infections like sepsis.

Published on March 3 in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, the research shows that this strain not only stands out but also has developed special features that could be useful for future space missions. The team of researchers emphasized the importance of understanding these microbes for the safety of astronauts and the reliability of spacecraft.

The bacteria were collected in 2023 by the Shenzhou-15 mission crew, who carefully swabbed the space station’s modules before sending samples back to Earth. Analysis revealed that Niallia tiangongensis is closely related to another bacterium, Niallia circulans, which is usually found in soil and can cause health issues in vulnerable patients.

Interestingly, Niallia tiangongensis shows adaptations to survive in space, such as genes that help it cope with oxidative stress and repair radiation damage. It can even form biofilms, which are protective layers that enable it to extract nutrients from its environment.

While it’s uncertain if this new strain could pose any health risks to humans, researchers hope further study will shed light on how these microbes adapt to harsh conditions. This knowledge is crucial for safeguarding human health in space.

This isn’t a one-off event. Back in 2018, NASA found four new strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the International Space Station’s toilets. Each of these strains had unique adaptations for survival in space. These discoveries highlight an ongoing trend where bacteria not only survive but thrive in extraterrestrial environments.

As space travel becomes more common, understanding these changes in microbes will be vital for keeping astronauts safe. The research team’s findings could lead to better strategies for managing health risks associated with space exploration.

For more insights, you can read the full study here and learn more about antibiotic-resistant species here.

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