Study shows the International Space Station is brimming with bacteria
Study shows the International Space Station is brimming with bacteria
SPACE
Nick Lavars
2 hours ago
Knowing the make up the microbial community on the International Space Station (ISS) would be of huge use to space agencies trying to safeguard the wellbeing of their astronauts. This has been a focus of NASA's for a while, and its scientists have just put the finishing touches on what they say is the first comprehensive catalog of all the bacteria and fungi inside the ISS, describing a bacteria-filled environment not dissimilar to a gym or an office.
Over a period of 14 months, researchers gathered samples from eight different surfaces around the inside of the ISS, including viewing windows, toilets, exercise platforms and dining tables.
These surface samples were analyzed using traditional culture techniques and gene sequencing methods, and the results paint a picture of an enclosed environment brimming with bacteria. The microbes present on the ISS were found to be mostly linked to humans, with Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacter among them.
These bacteria are rife in hospitals, offices, gyms and similar enclosed environments that are home to human activity. This is perhaps not all that surprising, given that 230 different people from 18 different countries have visited the ISS and it has been continuously occupied since 2000. But that doesn't make the research any less important, as scientists seek to better understand the microbes that inhabit these environments with a view to developing safety measures for missions to the Moon, Mars or maybe beyond.
More:
https://newatlas.com/international-space-station-bacteria-brimming/59212/
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