Microbiology

Microorganisms, or microbes, are ever-present on Earth and in space. They play a variety of roles in both environments. While some microbes may pose a risk to the human body, such as causing bacterial infections, others can be beneficial. For example, the bacterial microbes that live in our body contribute to the nutrients we absorb from food.

Studying microbiology in space allows us to observe the growth rate and interaction of microbes in their host environments.

Previous Space Tango investigations have investigated how microorganism structures evolve over time, and how they respond to other microbes. These studies have demonstrated that, when growing and living in a microgravity environment, microorganisms can become more resistant to antibiotics and colonize at increased rates.