Scientists at NASA have found 26 previously unknown species of bacteria living in what should be one of the most sterile places on Earth – the clean rooms where spacecraft are prepared for missions to other planets. These rooms, designed to prevent Earth microbes from hitching rides to places like Mars, turn out to be home to remarkably tough bacteria. The discovery came from samples collected in the facilities where NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander was assembled before its 2007 launch. Scientists analyzed 215 bacterial strains and identified 53 that belonged to species never seen before. “Our study aimed to understand … Continue reading NASA Cleanrooms Harbor 26 New Bacterial Species That Could Survive Space Missions