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The International Space Station has been welcoming space travelers for nearly twenty years. With six crew members, there have been a total of 59 expeditions (or teams of astronauts from the United States, Russia and other countries) since its inception. commissioned. With so many human bodies coming in and out of the Space Shuttle, he was certain that the machine would become a little dirty, but a new study of the ISS inside reveals how much she has become rude at the microscopic.
Using samples of different surfaces, NASA researchers revealed that life was not lacking in the space station, with the exception of the astronauts themselves. Bacteria and fungi have made their home in the spacecraft, and there is good reason to think that some of them might be problematic in the future.
Humans, in general, are not completely clean. Our body is full of microorganisms, and the vast majority of them never cause us any problems and can even help us maintain our health. Of course, many of these types of microorganisms are found wherever humans spend a lot of time, and the ISS is no exception.
However, researchers are concerned about how the space environment might affect the ability of microscopic organisms to evolve over time. Microgravity and radiation from space could cause mutations that could threaten crew members not only aboard the International Space Station, but also future long-range crewed missions.
This new study, published in microbiome, used dozens and dozens of surface samples collected at various locations around the space station in 14 months. Pitches include hanging panels, bathroom, dining table and walls.
Dozens of bacteria and fungi were identified in the samples, and many of them were of the same type as those typically found in places such as offices and gyms on Earth. Some are considered "opportunistic" bacteria that can cause health problems.
"It's unclear whether these opportunistic bacteria could cause illness in ISS astronauts," said Dr. Checinska Sielaff, first author, in a statement. "It depends on a number of factors, including the health status of each individual and how these organisms work in the space environment. In any case, the detection of disease-causing organisms underlines the importance of further studies on the functioning of these ISS microbes in space. "
Other recent research on bacteria on board the ISS suggests that the microbes present in the space station seem to adapt to their environment rather than mutate in order to infect astronauts on board . The study refuted the idea that the ISS had inadvertently caused "super-insects", but said that it is possible that ISS bacteria cause the disease.
Research like this will be essential for long-range crewed missions on nearby planets like Mars to have the best chance of success, with astronauts' health becoming a top priority.
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