Latest news with #N.tiangongensis
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists Find New Space-Adapted Bacteria Aboard Tiangong Space Station
Scientists have identified a new type of bacteria capable of withstanding harsh space conditions. The bacteria, retrieved from samples obtained during the Shenzhou 15 crewed mission, appear to have survived several months aboard China's Tiangong space station in 2022 and 2023. Researchers aboard the Tiangong space station and the International Space Station (ISS) regularly test their orbital quarters for bacteria. While bacteria are bound to be present anywhere humans hang out, it's a good idea to capture snapshots of a microbial community at a given time: Astronauts get to find out which bacteria might go to battle with their weakened immune systems, and planetary scientists get to monitor how contaminants might reach a separate space body if a crew isn't careful. It's a procedure that benefits virtually everyone involved in space exploration. NASA astronaut Scott Kelly collects microbial samples aboard the ISS. Credit: NASA The microbes found in these samples are often a known quantity. But every now and then, a new species of bacteria enters the scientific canon. Such is the case with Tiangong, which housed Niallia tiangongensis: a Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria that hangs out in the air. The new bacteria is detailed in a peer-reviewed paper for the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Biology. According to the researchers, who analyzed the samples after Shenzhou 15 returned to Earth in June 2023, N. tiangongensis (also known as strain JL1B1071T) is spore-forming. This survival mechanism allows a bacterium to become dormant in harsh environmental conditions; once it returns to a "friendlier" environment, the spore can germinate back into an active cell. N. tiangongensis might also be capable of "biofilm formation, oxidative stress response, and radiation damage repair, thereby aiding its survival in the space environment," the researchers note. This is the first time a new type of bacteria has been found on Tiangong, but other spacecraft are no stranger to novel microbes. Last year, scientists announced the discovery of a multi-drug resistant bacteria aboard the ISS, where the bacteria (Enterobacter bugandensis) was actively mutating to become "functionally distinct" from its former self. Researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and its institutional partners also found 26 novel bacteria species in NASA's clean rooms—ultra-sterile environments aimed at preventing the transport of Earth bacteria to space—earlier this month.
Scottish Sun
20-05-2025
- Science
- Scottish Sun
Unknown bacteria found on China's space station ‘never seen on Earth' with ‘unique ability' after astronauts swab cabin
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MYSTERIOUS form of bacteria has been discovered aboard China's space station, with unique abilities that help it survive hundreds of kilometres above the ground. Scientists found the bacteria, called Niallia tiangongensis, after astronauts swabbed a cabin on the Tiangong orbital outpost in May 2023. 2 While it is related to similar bacteria on Earth, it's not clear where the new N. tiangongensis came from, or whether it evolved on the station Credit: Getty Researchers from the Shenzhou Space Biotechnology Group and the Beijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering say the study of this new bacteria and others is "essential" in protecting astronauts' health. While it is related to similar bacteria on Earth, it's not clear where the new N. tiangongensis came from, or whether it evolved on the station. It's possible it arrived on Tiangong in spore form, with at least a few of its distinguishing features in place. Scientists are still working out if N. tiangongensis poses any threat to astronauts health. A bacterial cousin on Earth can cause sepsis in immunocompromised patients. A new study on the bacteria, published in a leading microbiology journal, found the new species can break down gelatin as a source of nitrogen and carbon. This rare ability allows it to build a protective biofilm shield over itself when conditions become too extreme to survive. Related bacteria on Earth are able to consume other energy-packed substances for survival - but N. tiangongensis appears to have lost this ability. N. tiangongensis' new skill of breaking down gelatin, paired with the deadliness of its Earthbound bacterial cousin, suggests it could pose a risk to health. US gearing up for all-out SPACE WAR with Russia and China as general warns West 'must be ready' for orbit battlefield Astronauts on the Tiangong space station regularly disinfect surfaces and monitor microorganisms to control the growth of bacteria. There are also air filtration systems built into the space station to purify the air. But despite best efforts, astronauts can get sick with microbial infections from space station bacteria - just like they do on Earth. It cannot be completely prevented, despite the cleaning and monitoring regime, as well as the quarantining of astronauts prior to flight.
The Irish Sun
20-05-2025
- Science
- The Irish Sun
Unknown bacteria found on China's space station ‘never seen on Earth' with ‘unique ability' after astronauts swab cabin
A MYSTERIOUS form of bacteria has been discovered aboard China's space station, with unique abilities that help it survive hundreds of kilometres above the ground. Scientists found the bacteria, called Niallia tiangongensis, after astronauts swabbed a cabin on the 2 While it is related to similar bacteria on Earth, it's not clear where the new N. tiangongensis came from, or whether it evolved on the station Credit: Getty Researchers from the Shenzhou Space Biotechnology Group and the Beijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering say the study of this new bacteria and others is "essential" in protecting astronauts' health. While it is related to similar bacteria on Earth, it's not clear where the new N. tiangongensis came from, or whether it evolved on the station. It's possible it arrived on Tiangong in spore form, with at least a few of its distinguishing features in place. Scientists are still working out if N. tiangongensis poses any threat to astronauts health. READ MORE ON SPACE A bacterial cousin on Earth can cause sepsis in immunocompromised patients. A new study on the bacteria, published in a leading This rare ability allows it to build a protective biofilm shield over itself when conditions become too extreme to survive. Related bacteria on Earth are able to consume other energy-packed substances for survival - but N. tiangongensis appears to have lost this ability. Most read in Tech N. tiangongensis' new skill of breaking down gelatin, paired with the deadliness of its Earthbound bacterial cousin, suggests it could pose a risk to health. US gearing up for all-out SPACE WAR with Russia and China as general warns West 'must be ready' for orbit battlefield Astronauts on the There are also air filtration systems built into the space station to purify the air. But despite best efforts, astronauts can get sick with microbial infections from space station bacteria - just like they do on Earth. It cannot be completely prevented, despite the cleaning and monitoring regime, as well as the quarantining of astronauts prior to flight. 2
