A new bacterial strain, niallia tiangongensis, was discovered aboard China’s Tiangong space station.

This microbe shows strong resistance to oxidative stress and radiation damage, helping it survive extreme space conditions.

The finding, part of China’s CHAMP program, could lead to better microbial control on spacecraft and offer sustainable ways to convert waste into useful resources for space and Earth applications, NDTV has reported.

Written by B.C. Begley