Posted on 06/25/2013 11:28:35 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Two astronaut crews aboard space shuttle Atlantis grew colonies of bacteria (more properly speaking, biofilms) on behalf of researchers on Earth. Most biofilms are harmless, but a small number could be associated with disease.
Biofilms were all over the Mir space station, and managing them is also a “challenge” (according to NASA) on the International Space Station. Well, here’s how they appeared in this study:
“The space-grown communities of bacteria, called biofilms, formed a ‘column-and-canopy’ structure not previously observed on Earth,” NASA stated. “Biofilms grown during spaceflight had a greater number of live cells, more biomass, and were thicker than control biofilms grown under normal gravity conditions.”
This is still early-stage work, of course, requiring follow-up studies to find out how the low-gravity environment affects these microorganisms’ growth, according to lead researcher Cynthia Collins from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Metabolism and virulence are what the scientists are hoping to learn more about in the future.
“Before we start sending astronauts to Mars or embarking on other long-term spaceflight missions, we need to be as certain as possible that we have eliminated or significantly reduced the risk that biofilms pose to the human crew and their equipment,” stated Collins, an assistant professor in the department of chemical and biological engineering.
(Excerpt) Read more at universetoday.com ...
Seems like a relatively easy thing to deal with. Micro thin coatings of copper or silver might help.
Good one.
Major Mancheck: “We have a fire.” ~ Andromeda Strain.
I put up with Bill Clinton, George Bush’s 2nd term and Back Obama.
I little bacteria isn’t gonna be a problem.
There you go!
Wait!!!!
Throw that thing in some flour and egg, then fry it!!!
Gonna need some jalapeno hush puppies and ice tea to go with it.
I guess Lysol is too obvious an answer?
What could possibly go wrong?
What are you doing, Dave?
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