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Science & Technology
The International Space Station is infested with mysterious and potentially dangerous space bugs
2018-11-24
[METRO.CO.UK] Scientists have discovered a thriving ecosystem of ‘infectious organisms’ aboard the International Space Station. A Nasa team found five different varieties of Enterobacter, which are similar to bugs found in hospitals down here on Earth. The toilet of the orbiting space base was one of the main sites of infection along with the exercise area. Researchers calculated that there is a ‘79% probability that they may potentially cause disease’, although analysis has only been carried out on dead samples at this stage so this risk could prove to be higher or lower following further research.
Posted by:Fred

#10  Bringing our pets (from over 100,000 years of symbiotic evolution) to infinity and beyond!
Posted by: Procopius2k   2018-11-24 18:32  

#9  Listeria bacteria -- only infects pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems. It will grow in cold/wet environments and loves sugar -- so your home refrigerator is almost certainly contaminated right now.
....But you hear Listeriosis Panics from time to time in the News. Makes for good copy: Women and Children Threatened! Stop the Presses!
Posted by: magpie   2018-11-24 16:02  

#8  Seems to me, they're not washing their hands.
Posted by: jvalentour   2018-11-24 15:25  

#7  We seen dis movie - and all the remakes.

I suspect this horrifying discovery is simply recognition of the fact that people shed microbes all the time and some of them are facultative pathogens, meaning bugs that are always around on and in the human body but are capable of causing problems when given half a chance. Everything is OMG SCARY! when passed thru the filter of journalism.

And yes, as james sez in #4, pretty much business as usual.
Posted by: SteveS   2018-11-24 14:52  

#6  UV lights.
Posted by: gorb   2018-11-24 14:38  

#5  The toilet of the orbiting space base was one of the main sites of infection

In other words, it is high time astronauts were given Mom’s “How to clean a bathroom” lecture, and added that activity on the daily schedule along with mandatory handwashing after using the facilities.
Posted by: trailing wife   2018-11-24 14:14  

#4  And how exactly does this differ from your home?
Posted by: james   2018-11-24 13:32  

#3  Test bed bugs...
Posted by: M. Murcek   2018-11-24 10:29  

#2  Beginnings of the Andromeda Strain.
Posted by: DarthVader   2018-11-24 10:10  

#1  Perhaps Fox News could ask bug expert Anna Paulina to investigate.
Posted by: Besoeker   2018-11-24 07:04  

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