In California, microbiologists at the University of California, Davis analyzed swabs taken by astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) and compared them with samples from homes on earth as well as the Human Microbiome Project. Through genetic sequencing, they found that the microbial community in this unique habitat was very diverse and more closely resembled that of homes than of humans. As reported in NUU in November, speculation abounded about ISS microbes being from aliens rather than humans because some of the microbes weren’t on the module when it initially launched into orbit.
Jenna Lang, former postdoctoral scholar at UC Davis and lead author on the study said in their press release, “The microbiome on the surfaces on the ISS looks very much like the surfaces of its inhabitants, which is not surprising, given that they are the primary source. We were also pleased to see is that the diversity was fairly high, indicating that it did not look like a ‘sick’ microbial community.”