Microbes and Space news
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NewsA Sustainable Development Goal for space?
Scientists have called for the designation of a new United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) with the aim to conserve and sustainably use Earth’s orbit, and prevent the accumulation of space junk.
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NewsStudy reveals how ‘Conan the Bacterium’ withstands extreme radiation
Deinococcus radiodurans can withstand radiation doses thousands of times higher than what would kill a human - and scientists have uncovered the secrets of the antioxidant that confers this protection.
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NewsScientists team up with NASA to unlock ocean phytoplankton secrets from space
Scientists have teamed up with NASA on a new-generation satellite mission to study the colour of the ocean from space, providing vital information about ocean health and its role in climate regulation.
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NewsScientists identify potential microbial habitats in Martian ice
Dusty ice exposed at the surface of Mars could provide the conditions necessary for the presence of photosynthetic life, according to a modelling study.
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NewsCrews sample lichens in ‘dress rehearsal’ for Martian exploration
During simulated extra-vehicular activities, Mars 160 mission specialists wearing simulated spacesuits scouted out various habitats in two Mars analog stations, seeking out lichen species growing in various microhabitats.
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NewsStudy suggests how to curb spread of mold in future space stations
Researchers have created a predictive approach for modeling unintended microbial growth in critical spaces and applied it to life on the International Space Station. The study provides insight into how healthy environments might be maintained during future missions.
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NewsNASA brings space leaders to London to shape future of microgravity research
Leading space experts from around the world gathered at the Royal Institution to discuss the future of microgravity research and prepare for the next generation of human presence in low Earth orbit.
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NewsInternational consortium with NASA reveals hidden impact of spaceflight on gut health
Scientists have uncovered how spaceflight profoundly alters the gut microbiome, revealing previously unknown effects on host physiology that could shape the future of long-duration space missions.
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NewsExpiring medications could pose challenge on long space missions
Medications commonly used by astronauts aboard the International Space Station might be ineffective or harmful on a multi-year mission to Mars, a new study suggests.
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NewsResearchers develop new way for beneficial microbes to survive extreme conditions and space exploration
The team’s formulations allow microbial therapeutics to maintain their potency and function over time despite extreme temperatures, harsh manufacturing processes, and radiation exposure.
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NewsStudy reveals a way to protect microbes from extreme conditions
By helping microbes withstand industrial processing, the method could make it easier to harness the benefits of microorganisms used as medicines and in agriculture.
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NewsSigns of life potentially detectable in single ice grain emitted from extraterrestrial moons
A new lab-based study shows that individual ice grains ejected from the moons of Saturn and Jupiter may potentially contain enough material for instruments headed there in the fall to detect signs of life, if such life exists.
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NewsSpace-grown antiviral drug successfully brought back to earth in private Varda Space capsule
Space-grown crystals of an antiviral drug have been brought to earth following the successful recovery of the capsule from Varda Space Industries’ W-1 mission.
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NewsScience and technology projects wanted for potential UK mission with Axiom Space
UK Space Agency seeks proposals for best of British science and tech that could fly to space with a team of British astronauts, funded by commercial sponsorship.
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NewsSpace-grown salad more susceptible to foodborne infections than on earth
A research team finds lettuce and other plants are more susceptible to bacterial infections in space than on Earth.
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NewsScientists sending microbes to space to see how they grow in low gravity
Researchers will send specimens to the International Space Station to see how biofilms develop in partially and variably water-saturated porous media.
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NewsUK Space Agency and Axiom Space sign up to historic human spaceflight mission
Astronauts from the United Kingdom could fly to space on a future Axiom Space mission, thanks to a new agreement signed between the UK Space Agency and the Houston-based space company.
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NewsSpaceflight could alter behaviour of human microbiome, bobtail squid study suggests
Microgravity changes how effectively symbiotic bacteria colonise the light organ of the bobtail squid, according to a new study which has implications for how the human microbiome may respond to spaceflight. Source: Joseph Emhof Bobtail squid just after hatching The research by a University of Florida team, ...
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NewsUK launches £65 million funding call for space technologies and applications
The UK Space Agency has announced up to £65 million of funding for ground-breaking innovations that could boost UK leadership in space technologies and applications. The National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP) will support high-risk, high-reward projects designed by British organisations with the potential to accelerate the ...
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NewsBetter instrumentation is needed to detect ancient life on Mars, researchers say
Current state-of-the-art instrumentation being sent to Mars to collect and analyze evidence of life might not be sensitive enough to make accurate assessments, according to researchers.
