Tag: astronaut health
-
NASA astronaut shows how to weigh yourself in space | On the ISS this week Nov. 17-21, 2025
Introduction: A Week in Microgravity During the week of November 17–21, 2025, the International Space Station buzzed with activity as the Expedition 73 crew carried out routine science, maintenance, and a practical demonstration that captures the imagination of space enthusiasts worldwide: weighing yourself in space. With gravity in a jointed orbit around Earth and mass…
-
Spaceflight Resilience: Health-Benefiting Microbes Survive Launch to Reentry
Introduction: Microbes with a Mission Beyond Earth Microbes essential for human health can withstand the punishing forces of space travel, a finding that could redefine how we support astronauts on future long-duration missions. In a novel study, researchers tested spores of Bacillus subtilis, a bacterium linked to immune support, gut health, and circulation, to see…
-
Microbes Essential for Human Health Survive Spaceflight: A Breakthrough for Astronaut Well-Being
Breakthrough: Beneficial Bacteria Endures the Harsh Ride to Space Microbes that play a crucial role in human health—such as supporting digestion, immunity, and circulation—have demonstrated surprising resilience to the extreme stresses of spaceflight. In a pioneering experiment, researchers from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) in Australia tested the hardy spores of the bacterium…
-
Resilient Microbes: How Bacillus subtilis Survives Spaceflight to Support Astronaut Health
Spaceflight tests reveal hardy microbes vital for astronaut health Microbes essential for human health have proved remarkably resilient against the extreme forces of space travel. In a pioneering experiment, researchers tested the well-known gut and immune-supporting bacterium Bacillus subtilis by sending its spores on a sounding rocket flight. The goal: to understand how such microorganisms…
-
Exclusive: NASA Astronaut Feels ‘Incredible’ at Age 75. Here’s Why.
Exclusive: A 75-Year-Old NASA Astronaut Shares His Perspective Winston Elliott Scott isn’t a household name to every space enthusiast, but his career offers a window into the enduring human story of space exploration. A retired NASA astronaut and former U.S. Navy member, Scott flew missions in 1996 and 1997 on two different space shuttles, accumulating…
-
Gut Bacteria Survive Space Travel: Implications for Astronaut Health
Introduction: The surprising resilience of our gut allies Scientists have long known that spaceflight poses a host of challenges to the human body. From bone density loss to immune system changes, the journey beyond Earth is a test of physiological limits. Recently, a surprising discovery has added a new dimension to this conversation: the bacteria…
-
Gut Bacteria Survive Spaceflight: Health in Deep Space
Guts vs. Gravity: A Milestone in Space Biology Scientists have long studied how the human body endures the rigors of space, from bone density loss to immune changes. A new Australian-led study turns the lens toward the tiny residents inside us: gut bacteria. In a bold experiment, researchers sent spores of Bacillus subtilis—a bacterium naturally…
-
Gut Bacteria Survive Space Travel: Earthly Microbes Endure Launch, Microgravity, and Reentry
Spaceflight and the Human Microbiome: A Surprising Resilience In a development that blends microbiology with space exploration, scientists report that a common gut bacterium’s spores can endure the extreme rigors of space travel. The study, conducted in Australia and published in npj Microgravity, tested Bacillus subtilis spores—an organism well known for its resilience and its…
-
Bacteria Survive Space Launch and Re-Entry: Implications for Mars
New evidence from an Australian-led study shows Bacillus subtilis spores can endure the harsh dynamics of spaceflight As space agencies outline bold plans to send crews to Mars within decades, scientists are racing to understand how living organisms cope with the extreme conditions of space travel. A recent Australian-led study provides a critical clue: the…
-
Unknown Bacterium in Tiangong: Niallia tiangongensis and Space Microbiology’s Frontier
The discovery on Tiangong: a new chapter in space microbiology In May 2023, during routine operations aboard China’s Tiangong space station, researchers identified a bacterium never before seen on Earth. The scientists named it Niallia tiangongensis, a nod to the station where it emerged and the remarkable biology it displays. This finding, arising from the…