At the Chinese Space station “Tiangun” in the near -Earth orbit, a new microbe was discovered, which is a kind of well -known microorganism.
Chinese scientists published the results of the detection of a new microbe in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology (International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology).
Researchers who studied samples collected from the surface of the SHINCOU-15 crew, which was at the space station from November 2022 to June 2023, found a microbe belonging to the type of “Cyto Bacillaceae”.
Researchers came to the conclusion that this microbe differs from the nearest samples on Earth and is a new option that developed at the station.
The new microbe was called “Niallia Tiangongensis”, which includes the Chinese name of the space station.
Adaptation to extreme cosmic conditions
Noting that microbials have the ability to adapt to extreme cosmic conditions, researchers say that it copes better with oxidative stress and reverse radiation damage.
Researchers emphasized that understanding the mechanisms of the survival of a microbe will help develop accurate and targeted strategies for the fight against microbes, which can be used in various industries – from space technologies to agriculture and pharmaceutical industry.
Scientists note that the survival of microorganisms in space depends on the complex interaction of microgravity, radiation and isolation factors. Researchers emphasized that the understanding of microorganisms arising during long -term space flights is vital for maintaining the health of the crew and the functionality of the spacecraft.