2024-09-24 22:43:07
On the ISS, bacteria have developed new, remarkable survival strategies. But these pose potential risks for the astronauts.
There are numerous, partly unknown dangers lurking for humans in space. But some of these dangers come from ourselves – including bacteria. The microorganisms have smuggled themselves on board space missions and have thus landed on the International Space Station ISS.
The microbiome on the space station has been observed for years. Now scientists have discovered how the bacteria manage to survive under the harsh conditions of space.
As the study states, the “microorganisms have demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt to this extreme space environment.” To be more precise, this means that they have changed their properties in order to survive.
For the study, the researchers examined five new species of bacteria that were found in samples from the ISS. Their genomes were examined and compared with bacteria found on Earth. The scientists discovered that the microorganisms from the ISS had developed unique survival strategies – such as increased DNA repair activity to counteract the high radiation exposure.
What increases the bacteria’s chance of survival could potentially be dangerous for humans, however. These properties could also be responsible for the organisms having increased resistance to antibiotics and a higher pathogenicity. Pathogenicity refers to the ability of a microorganism to cause disease in the host.