Ba.teria with ‘unique abilities’ has mutated on space station into something never seen before on Earth
Chinese scientists have discovered a new bacteria strain, Niallia tiangongensis, aboard the Tiangong Space Station. The microbe, found on cockpit controls in 2023, demonstrates unique gelatin-digesting abilities that could help it survive nutrient-poor environments. While related to Earth’s Niallia circulans – known to cause serious infections – researchers note the space variant shows distinct mutations…