International Space Station Is Filthy And Contaminated

The International Space Station (ISS) is teeming with microbes some of which can be dangerous for humans, a new study found.

According to Daily Mail, NASA scientists used rapid DNA sequencing techniques to identify pathogens. They found that most samples largely comprised Actinobacteria that is associated with human skin. Two other infection-causing pathogens were also discovered but researchers did not determine how virulent these organisms are in microgravity.

To identify pathogens in the samples collected and to determine their sizes besides learning if they are alive, researchers stained them with a dye. The samples analyzed included air samples and vacuum dust. Air quality comparisons were made with sterile rooms with airlocks on Earth.

"By using both traditional and state-of-the-art molecular analysis techniques we can build a clearer picture of the International Space Station's microbial community, helping to spot bacterial agents that may damage equipment or threaten astronaut health, and identify areas in need of more stringent cleaning" said microbiologist Dr. Kasthuri Venkateswaran according to The Telegraph.

"The results of this study provide strong evidence that specific human skin-associated microorganisms make a substantial contribution to the ISS microbiome, which is not the case in Earth-based cleanrooms," researchers wrote in the journal Microbiome.