Latest news with #AlexandreRosado
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
NASA acidentally discovers super bacteria that could survive on Mars
In a surprising discovery, NASA scientists found 26 new bacterial species in a JPL clean room, raising concerns about planetary contamination. These resilient microbes, resistant to radiation and toxins, evolved despite rigorous sterilization. While posing a threat to space missions, their unique survival traits could lead to advancements in medicine, food preservation, and biotechnology. According to the study, published in journal Microbiome, the microbes evolved to resist the clean room's repeated sterilization efforts. They boast powerful DNA repair systems, fast metabolism, and the ability to neutralize toxins. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Bacteria Built for the Impossible Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads More Than a Space Threat: Earthly Benefits Too Stronger antibiotics or extreme-condition medicines Better food preservation methods without synthetic additives Innovative materials for use in biotechnology and manufacturing Could They Survive on Mars? In an unexpected twist, NASA scientists have discovered 26 previously unknown species of bacteria—right inside one of the cleanest places on Earth. The find, made at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), reveals that some microbes are not only resilient but may even be capable of surviving the extreme conditions of Mars The bacteria were found in a highly sterilized clean room at JPL, where the Phoenix spacecraft was assembled in 2007. Designed to be virtually free of life to prevent contaminating other planets, the lab instead harbored 215 bacterial strains. Among them, scientists identified 53 strains that belonged to 26 never-before-seen bacteria were already present before the spacecraft arrived. Others appeared during its construction and testing. Despite rigorous sterilization procedures, including exposure to toxic chemicals and radiation, these microbes didn't just survive—they adapted.'This is a serious concern for planetary protection ,' microbiologist Alexandre Rosado was quoted as saying by the Dailygalaxy. He noted that such organisms could accidentally hitch a ride to other worlds, potentially interfering with life-detection newly discovered microbes possess traits typically found in Earth's most extreme environments. They showed high resistance to radiation, toxic substances, and disinfection chemicals—features that echo extremophiles like those living in deep-sea vents or to the study, published in journal Microbiome, the microbes evolved to resist the clean room's repeated sterilization efforts. They boast powerful DNA repair systems, fast metabolism, and the ability to neutralize toxins. As co-author Junia Schultz from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) put it, 'They're true survivalists.'While their resilience raises concerns about planetary contamination, these bacteria could offer breakthroughs here on believe the same genes that help them endure harsh conditions could aid in developing:This accidental discovery also reinforces the need for more stringent cleanliness standards in space missions. NASA has already begun reviewing protocols to minimize the risk of microbial contamination during future interplanetary big question: Could these bacteria survive off Earth?While that's still being studied, their durability certainly raises the possibility. If Earth microbes are accidentally introduced to Mars or another planet, they could interfere with life-detection missions or be mistaken for alien life . They could outcompete native organisms—if any exist in the alien has previously conducted experiments on how microbes handle near-space environments, and this new research adds a powerful data point to that growing body of scientists continue to push the boundaries of space and life sciences, these rogue bacteria may turn out to be unlikely pioneers—showing us both the strength of life on Earth and the care needed when searching for it elsewhere.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Never-before-seen 'extreme' microbes surrounded NASA robot before it was sent to Mars 18 years ago, new study reveals
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Dozens of never-before-seen species of "extremophile" bacteria were hiding in a NASA clean room used to quarantine a Mars lander before it was successfully launched to the Red Planet more than 17 years ago, a new study reveals. Some of the hardy microbes may be capable of surviving the vacuum of space. However, there is no evidence that the spacecraft or Mars were contaminated. NASA's Phoenix Mars lander touched down on the Red Planet on May 25, 2008, and spent 161 days (156 Martian days) collecting a variety of data, before suddenly going offline. Around 10 months before arriving on Mars, the lander spent several days inside a clean room at the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, before being launched from neighboring Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (then known as Cape Canaveral Air Force Station) on Aug. 4, 2007, according to Live Science's sister site Clean rooms are spaces where spacecraft and their payloads are quarantined before launches and upon reentry to Earth, in order to prevent environmental contamination by microbes and keep them free of potentially damaging particles, according to NASA. These spaces are sterilized, pressurized, constantly vacuumed and supplied with air via special filters that keep out 99.97% of all airborne particles. Anybody entering the room must wear an all-in-one "bunny suit" and have an air shower before entering. But all of these measures still can't keep everything out. When researchers reanalyzed samples collected from the Phoenix lander clean room before, during and after the spacecraft was quarantined there, they found DNA from 26 novel species of bacteria. The team reported their findings in a study published May 12 in the journal Microbiome. Related: Alien organisms could hitch a ride on our spacecraft and contaminate Earth, scientists warn Most of the newly described microbes displayed at least some characteristics that made them resistant to harsh environmental conditions, such as extreme temperatures, pressures and levels of radiation. Some had genes associated with DNA repair, detoxification of harmful molecules, and improved metabolism, and may even be able to survive the vacuum of space, the researchers wrote. "Our study aimed to understand the risk of extremophiles being transferred in space missions and to identify which microorganisms might survive the harsh conditions of space," study co-author Alexandre Rosado, a microbiologist at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, said in a statement. "This effort is pivotal for monitoring the risk of microbial contamination and safeguarding against unintentional colonization of exploring planets." The newly described species made up just under a quarter of all the species identified in the room, most of which also had extremophile properties. This suggests spacecraft clean rooms could be an excellent place to search for more of these hardy microbes. RELATED STORIES —NASA finally opens capsule to potentially hazardous asteroid 'Bennu' that may contain seeds of life —The Apollo moon landing was real, but NASA's quarantine procedure was not —NASA may have unknowingly found and killed alien life on Mars 50 years ago, scientist claims Finding new extremophiles is important because it can help researchers predict what potential extraterrestrial microbes might look like and how we can prevent them from contaminating Earth. Some of them also produce substances, such as biofilms, that have potential applications in medicine, food preservation and biotechnologies. "Together, we are unraveling the mysteries of microbes that withstand the extreme conditions of space — organisms with the potential to revolutionize the life sciences, bioengineering, and interplanetary exploration," study co-author Kasthuri Venkateswaran, a retired senior research scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said in the statement.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
An Unknown Microbe Snuck Onto China's Space Station. Could It Infect the Universe?
Two new studies show how difficult it is to keep microbes from traveling into Earth orbit and beyond. Chinese scientists report that they've found a novel bacteria on the Tiangong space station, but can't confirm if it evolved on the station itself or on Earth before hitching a ride skyward. Similarly, a separate study shows that NASA's clean room—used for the Phoenix Mars lander mission—also contained 26 novel bacteria species. Bacteria seem to thrive anywhere—even in places where they are least wanted. In the past week, we've have gotten a pretty stark reminder that these microbes can survive and thrive in the most unlikely of places. The first case concerns China's Tiangong space station. Around 20 percent the size of the International Space Station (ISS), Tiangong similarly conducts experiments in fields ranging from physics to biotechnology and beyond—at last count, the station has enabled some 180 scientific investigations. One of those investigations, known as the Habitation Area Microbiome Programme, called for Chinese astronauts (known as hángtiān yuán or 'space travelers') to collect swabs of the interior cabin of the three-capsule Tiangong in two surveys. Swabs obtained in May of 2023 are now the subject of a new study that highlights the novel microbiome environment of the space station, which is even different from similar spacecraft like the ISS. This space-based microbiome now includes a novel bacteria, identified in a study published in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. Known as Niallia tiangongensis—a nod to the orbital environment in which it was discovered—the bacteria isn't wholly alien. Instead, it appears to be a close relative of Niallia circulans, which is typically found in soils on Earth and is known to be the cause of some wound infections (the bacteria was classified under the genus Bacillus until 2020). 'Understanding the characteristics of microbes during long-term space missions is essential for safeguarding the health of astronauts and maintaining the functionality of spacecraft,' the authors wrote. 'Based on phenotypic, physiological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, as well as genome annotation, [the novel bacteria] was considered a novel species within the genus Niallia.' But do we really need to understand the threat of bacteria in space? After all, NASA has clean rooms for this very reason, right? Yeah, about that… Another study—published earlier this month as part of a collaboration between scientists from NASA, Saudi Arabia, and India—found that NASA's clean rooms, which were used during the Phoenix Mars lander mission (originally launched in 2007), were chock-full of hearty microbes. 26 of those microbes were completely unknown to science. 'Our study aimed to understand the risk of extremophiles being transferred in space missions and to identify which microorganisms might survive the harsh conditions of space,' Alexandre Rosado, the lead author of a study published in the journal Microbiome, said in a press statement. 'This effort is pivotal for monitoring the risk of microbial contamination and safeguarding against unintentional colonization of exploring planets.' With more than two dozen rovers and landers sent to Mars, microbes have almost certainly hitched a ride to the Red Planet, which can complicate matters when a mission's goal is to search for native microbial life. The very act of sending Earth-based organisms to other planets would likely violate some kind of Star Trek-ian microbial Prime Directive. In Tiangong's case, scientists can't be sure if this novel bacteria evolved while on the space station, or if it came to be on Earth and simply hitched a ride via rocket. Humans may be the most adept space explorers among eukaryotes, but when it comes to pure numbers, no one holds a candle to prokaryotic bacteria. You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA 'cleanrooms' found crawling with 26 new bacterial species
Wait, aren't "clean" rooms supposed to be, well, "clean" of germs and other pesky microscopic particles? Maybe not: A new study reports 26 new bacterial species were found growing inside cleanrooms associated with NASA space missions. Specifically, scientists looked in the cleanrooms used to prepare the Phoenix Mars lander for its August 2007 launch. In the study, scientists analyzed microorganisms growing in the NASA cleanrooms, and discovered many of the new species possessed genes that made them resilient to decontamination and radiation. "We are unraveling the mysteries of microbes that withstand the extreme conditions of space – organisms with the potential to revolutionize the life sciences, bioengineering, and interplanetary exploration," said Kasthuri Venkateswaran, retired senior research scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and a lead author of the study, in a statement. Spacecraft are assembled in cleanrooms, which are highly specialized facilities engineered to maintain exceptionally low levels of dust and microorganisms. Cleanrooms are key as spacecraft are built and tested: Even tiny particles or contamination can impact delicate instruments and sensitive components. These controlled environments are extreme in their own right, with tightly regulated airflow, temperature and humidity that inhibit microbial survival. However, some microorganisms – known as "extremophiles" – thrive in such environments. "Our study aimed to understand the risk of extremophiles being transferred in space missions and to identify which microorganisms might survive the harsh conditions of space," said study team member Alexandre Rosado from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. "This effort is pivotal for monitoring the risk of microbial contamination and safeguarding against unintentional colonization of exploring planets," he added. These previously unknown and newly described species carry genetic traits associated with resilience to extreme environments such as those found in space. Some of the discovered genes were associated with DNA repair, the detoxification of harmful molecules and improved metabolism, all of which increased the species' survivability. Scientists said these genes could lead to new biotechnologies that benefit food preservation and medicine. "These findings not only raise important considerations for planetary protection but also open the door for biotechnological innovation," said Junia Schultz, a postdoctoral fellow at KAUST, who was the first author of the study. "Space travel provides an opportunity to study microorganisms that possess relevant stress-resistance genes," Schultz added. "The genes identified in these newly discovered bacterial species could be engineered for applications in medicine, food preservation, and other industries." The study was published May 12 in the journal Microbiome. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NASA 'cleanrooms' found crawling with new species of bacteria
USA Today
19-05-2025
- Science
- USA Today
NASA 'cleanrooms' found crawling with 26 new bacterial species
NASA 'cleanrooms' found crawling with 26 new bacterial species Show Caption Hide Caption NASA's Space Launch System, Orion capsule face budget uncertainty A budget proposal from the White House could reduce NASA's budget by about $6 billion, or 25%. Many of these species possess genes that make them resistant to decontamination and radiation, potentially posing a risk of interplanetary contamination. These "extremophile" microorganisms could lead to new biotechnologies in fields like medicine and food preservation. Scientists believe studying these extremophiles could revolutionize life sciences, bioengineering, and space exploration. Wait, aren't "clean" rooms supposed to be, well, "clean" of germs and other pesky microscopic particles? Maybe not: A new study reports 26 new bacterial species were found growing inside cleanrooms associated with NASA space missions. Specifically, scientists looked in the cleanrooms used to prepare the Phoenix Mars lander for its August 2007 launch. In the study, scientists analyzed microorganisms growing in the NASA cleanrooms, and discovered many of the new species possessed genes that made them resilient to decontamination and radiation. "We are unraveling the mysteries of microbes that withstand the extreme conditions of space – organisms with the potential to revolutionize the life sciences, bioengineering, and interplanetary exploration," said Kasthuri Venkateswaran, retired senior research scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and a lead author of the study, in a statement. What is a cleanroom? Spacecraft are assembled in cleanrooms, which are highly specialized facilities engineered to maintain exceptionally low levels of dust and microorganisms. Cleanrooms are key as spacecraft are built and tested: Even tiny particles or contamination can impact delicate instruments and sensitive components. These controlled environments are extreme in their own right, with tightly regulated airflow, temperature and humidity that inhibit microbial survival. However, some microorganisms – known as "extremophiles" – thrive in such environments. 'Extremophiles' can survive in space "Our study aimed to understand the risk of extremophiles being transferred in space missions and to identify which microorganisms might survive the harsh conditions of space," said study team member Alexandre Rosado from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. "This effort is pivotal for monitoring the risk of microbial contamination and safeguarding against unintentional colonization of exploring planets," he added. New biotechnologies possible These previously unknown and newly described species carry genetic traits associated with resilience to extreme environments such as those found in space. Some of the discovered genes were associated with DNA repair, the detoxification of harmful molecules and improved metabolism, all of which increased the species' survivability. Scientists said these genes could lead to new biotechnologies that benefit food preservation and medicine. "These findings not only raise important considerations for planetary protection but also open the door for biotechnological innovation," said Junia Schultz, a postdoctoral fellow at KAUST, who was the first author of the study. "Space travel provides an opportunity to study microorganisms that possess relevant stress-resistance genes," Schultz added. "The genes identified in these newly discovered bacterial species could be engineered for applications in medicine, food preservation, and other industries." The study was published May 12 in the journal Microbiome.
