Space & Astronomy

Mysterious microbes found on space station have never been seen before

By T.K. Randall
May 22, 2025 ·  5 comments

Something is lurking inside Tiangong. Image Credit: CC BY-SA 4.0 Shujianyang Life seems to be finding a way to adapt to thrive in outer space - at least, that is, according to an analysis of a never-before-seen strain of bacteria that was discovered inside one of the living quarters of China's orbiting Tiangong space station.

Named Niallia tiangongensis, the new strain is a variant of a common soil-dwelling bacteria typically found on Earth but that has somehow ended up in orbit with new adaptations to help it survive there.

It was found after the Shenzhou-15 mission crew collected swabs before departing in 2023.Some of the adaptations evident in the new strain include the ability to repair radiation damage and the ability to form biofilms by breaking down gelatin to extract carbon and nitrogen.

While the regular version of this bacteria found on Earth can cause sepsis in certain cases, it is not clear whether or not this new strain is in any way harmful to humans.

"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 researchers wrote.

Source: Live Science | Comments (5)

Tags: Microbe, Space