NASA
Sterilized regularly to avoid disease, as these are harder to treat in space, spaceships may actually have to become dirty to keep astronauts healthy.
Excessive cleaning may even be harmful to humans outside the earth, suggests a new investigation on February 27 on Cell, which warns: lack of exposure to a variety of molecules and microbes may be affecting the immune system and the overall well-being of astronauts.
The team of Pieter Dorresteinwhich studies the International Space Station (ISS), analyzed more than 700 smears (thin layers of blood or pus) from the surface of the most famous space station, and noticed a serious lack of microbial diversity at the station.
Lack of exposure to microbial life and molecules may be contributing to various health problems among astronauts, such as rashes, unusual allergies, fungal infections or the activation of sleeping viruses such as Epstein-Bar.
“The space station is simply devoid of many molecules and microbes,” says Dorrestein, quoted by: “It is at the extreme of human life”.
“The immune system has to be periodically activated,” explains the expert, especially in long -term space missions.
To solve the problem, researchers propose the introduction of more diverse molecules and microbes in spaceship environments – but without introducing harmful pathogenic agents. One of the advanced ideas goes through replace chemical disinfectants with bacteria like the Bacillus subtilisknown for its antifungal properties. THE plant cultivation on board -Since exposure to plant molecules has been associated with a reduction in asthma and allergies on the earth-it may be another response to the ultra-stable environments of space missions.
One thing is certain: “dirtiest” environments are needed“So that they are more diverse in molecules and microbes.”
