There aren’t many good reasons to decommission the Chinese Space Station and send it careening into space, but an all-new alien bacteria has been found on board. Under no circumstances can that be allowed to reach Earth. Scuttle the ship immediately.
The Chinese Space Station is significantly smaller than the International Space Station. But, it is also a lot newer and in much better condition. Launched in 2021, it was in space five years after the ISS was initially supposed to be decommissioned. It is now the host to an all-new, space station-surviving bacteria that has scientists in awe.
The bacteria in question have managed to adapt to life on the Tiangong Space Station. The bacteria, named Niallia tiangongensis, were collected from the surfaces of the equipment on board. The taikonauts were able to isolate the new strain and study it.
It is similar to a bacterium found on Earth, commonly in stool, soil, food, and sewage. However, this particular strain has managed to adapt to life on board the space station. As a study, it is fascinating as it displays a new, innovative way life can survive as we humans travel further into the depths of space.
Scientists are amazed to see that it “demonstrates a unique ability to hydrolyze gelatin, suggesting that it can utilize gelatin as a substrate in nutrient-limited environments.” The new space station bacteria are highly resilient to conditions found in the harsh environments it has grown.
What Does The Space Station Mutation Mean For Human Beings
Already, the space station bacteria have been sent back to Earth for proper examination. Everything in my body, being the science fiction nerd I am, screams that this is a dreadful idea. Too many horrors lie in wait in the unknown space bacteria.
However, it’s been studied, and the results are, initially, very interesting. Yet again, China leads the way in everything. They have examined it and drawn a few conclusions. Not only could the resilient bacteria be used to assist in human space travel, but they can also be used to improve agriculture, both on Earth and potentially in space.