Chinese scientists discover never-before-seen mysterious bacteria species on Tiangong Space Station

Chinese scientists discover never-before-seen mysterious bacteria species on Tiangong Space Station (Image: China Manned Space Agency)

Sometimes, science surprises us in the smallest places. During routine sampling aboard the Tiangong Space Station, researchers discovered something unexpected — a brand-new species of bacteria, quietly thriving in orbit.

Chinese researchers have named the new bacterial species Niallia tiangongensis. The microbe was found in surface samples from the Tiangong Space Station. These samples were obtained when the Shenzhou 15 mission returned from Earth in June 2023. The discovery was recently reported in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology.

The microbe is characterised as aerobic, spore-forming and rod-shaped. It is the first time a new microbial species has been isolated on board Tiangong, China's low Earth orbit space station consisting of three modules.

The research reports that the bacterium is almost identical to Niallia circulans, a terrestrial species. Yet scientists discovered significant genetic variations in the space strain. The mutations can assist researchers in comprehending how microbes evolve outside of Earth. The bacterium possesses a unique capability of decomposing gelatine, and this can sustain life in impoverished settings.

As per the paper, two proteins in Niallia tiangongensis underwent structural and functional modifications. These modifications could enhance the bacterium's biofilm formation capacity, oxidative stress response, and radiation damage repair.

Scientists indicate these developments signal the ways microbes endure space. Whether this new strain would endanger the health of astronauts is not yet certain. But it is crucial to study such microorganisms for space cleanliness as well as mission security. Observing microbial life on spacecraft prevents unwanted contamination.

It is not the first time new bacteria have been discovered in space. Other space discoveries involve strains on the International Space Station. Some of those species might even assist future astronauts in farming on Mars. In a recent study, 26 new strains of bacteria were discovered in NASA clean rooms — some of the most sterile environments on the planet.