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Space exploration has entered a new era where microbial discoveries challenge our understanding of life beyond Earth. The Chinese Tiangong station recently became the site of an extraordinary finding that reads like science fiction but represents very real scientific advancement. This discovery raises fundamental questions about biological adaptation in extreme environments. Niallia tiangongensis emerges from space station samples During routine operations in May 2023, the Shenzhou-15 crew collected samples from Tiangong’s habitation module that would later reveal something unprecedented. Scientists identified a completely new bacterial species, subsequently named Niallia tiangongensis after its birthplace among the stars. This microorganism represents the...

Analysis of swabs from China's Tiangong Space Station has revealed a new strain of bacteria sporting new adaptations for surviving outer space. Scientists have discovered a new microbe never-before-seen on Earth inside China's Tiangong space station. The new strain of bacteria, named Niallia tiangongensis after the space station, is a variant of a soil-dwelling terrestrial microbe that can cause sepsis, and was found inside one of the station's cabins. Now, a new analysis of the strain has revealed that the bacterium isn't only one of a kind, but has also picked up some key adaptations that could be helpful in...

Chinese scientists discovered a novel strain of bacterium with “unique abilities” that allowed it to thrive on the Tiangong Space Station, according to a report. The newly named Niallia tiangongensis was isolated by taikonauts from surface hardware on the China Space Station, according to a paper from the Beijing Institute of Spacecraft System Engineering published in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. The novel strain is closely related to the terrestrial bacterium Niallia circulans, which is found in soil, sewage, food and human stool — but exhibits several mutations that could prove beneficial in the study of life...