--- title: "Mutant Bacteria Discovered Aboard International Space Station" description: "The International Space Station has long been known to be gross, and according to a new study, it has bacteria mutating into something alien." date: "2024-04-20" modified: "2024-04-20" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/mutant-bacteria-iss" categories: - "Bacteria" - "Health & Medicine" - "International Space Station" - "Medical" - "NASA" - "Pathogens" - "Space" tags: - "bacteria" - "international space station" - "NASA" - "the digest" --- # Mutant Bacteria Discovered Aboard International Space Station ![The International Space Station has long been known to be gross, and according to a new study, it has bacteria mutating into something alien.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* ## It's Alive! The International Space Station has long been known as a unique — and [uniquely gross]() — environment. But according to a new NASA study, it has stuff growing on it that is straight-up alien, too. In a [press release](), NASA said that when scientists from the Jet Propulsion Lab looked at samples of the drug-resistant *Enterobacter bugandensis* bacteria found on the orbital outpost, they found that the strains had mutated into something that literally doesn't exist on Earth. "Study findings indicate that under stress, the ISS isolated strains were mutated and became genetically and functionally distinct compared to their Earth counterparts," the press release reads. "The strains were able to viably persist in the ISS over time in significant abundances." What's even crazier: *E. bugandensis* was apparently able to not only coexist "with multiple other microorganisms," but was also demonstrated in some cases to "have helped those organisms survive." Published in the [journal *Microbiome*](), a paper on the new study details how JPL researchers isolated 13 distinct strains of the gastrointestinal bacteria, which was [discovered in 2018]() and is associated with severe illnesses, including sepsis in newborns. ## Wall Mart According to the paper, the strains studied in the new research were "isolated from various locations within the ISS," along with all the other nasty stuff that causes its [peculiar smell](). Along with *E. bugandensis*, NASA has been studying other potentially harmful viruses, fungi, and bacteria as part of its second [microbial tracking mission](), which has astronauts literally [scrape the ISS walls]() and put what they find under microscopes to see how weird they got. "Closed human-built environments, such as the ISS, are unique areas that provide an extreme environment subject to microgravity, radiation, and elevated carbon dioxide levels," the press release explains. "Any microorganisms introduced to these areas must adapt to thrive." And thrive it did! According to the study, *E. bugandensis* not only survived in the confines of the space station, but actually seemed to have become even more drug-resistant, placing it within the "[ESKAPE pathogen group]()" comprised of several bugs that are known for "formidable resistance to antimicrobial treatments." This study, the researchers insist, will help better contribute to the understanding of genetic evolution of pathogens and ultimately add to science's [growing understanding]() of how to stay healthy in space. For us on Earth, however, it's just another reminder that for all the damage we've done to our planet, we're still [very lucky not to be trapped in space]() with mutated terrestrial germs. **More on the ISS:** [*Departing Astronauts Leave Sticky Brown Surprise in Space Station*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()