In May 2023, Chinese astronauts swabbed several surfaces of their space station Tiangong (Mandarin for "Heavenly Place"), then sent the samples back to Earth for analysis. The results are now in: the sample contained one bacterium never before seen, according to a report in the International Journal of Systemic and Evolutionary Microbiology.New Bacteria in Space Station The samples were taken, according to the paper, to help keep astronauts healthy in subsequent missions. “Understanding the characteristics of microbes during long-term space missions is essential for safeguarding the health of astronauts and maintaining the functionality of spacecraft,” according to the paper.There are multiple plausible explanations for both the bacteria’s presence and novelty. It could have hitch-hiked with the astronauts and remained more or less the same (although thousands have been identified, there are potentially billions of unknown bacterium on our planet). It could have taken that same route, but mutated and evolved. Or it could be a strain only found in space.Bacteria Similarities and AbilitiesTo get a better picture of the possibilities, it might be best to parse the knowns from the unknowns. First, and perhaps most importantly, it is not completely novel. The bacteria shares enough genetic similarities (two significant stretches of DNA match or are conserved) with Niallia circulans for it to be considered the same genus. Therefore, the authors named it Niallia tiangongensis.Its general appearance also doesn’t appear to be completely out of this world. The paper described it as an “[…] aerobic, spore-forming, rod-shaped strain.”It does appear to have some interesting abilities, though. According to the paper, it shows “a unique ability to hydrolyse gelatin.” This means it can break down some compounds and add components of water to them, perhaps as a way to feed themselves in an environment with little available food.Adaptations to SpaceDifferences in two proteins that resemble those in its cousin hint that it has evolved enhanced abilities to protect itself from some conditions specific to space. Those include tools to create a biofilm it could perhaps hide beneath, and the means to repair damage from radiation, among other abilities.Its terrestrial cousin has one concerning ability. It can cause infection — even sepsis. Knowing whether N. tiangongensis can do the same, and if so, at what level, will likely be the subject of further investigation, since such understanding is a key part of the China Space Station Habitation Area Microbiome Program (CHAMP) that led to its collection, return, and analysis.Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:International Journal of Systemic and Evolutionary Microbiology. Niallia tiangongensis sp. nov., isolated from the China Space Station Before joining Discover Magazine, Paul Smaglik spent over 20 years as a science journalist, specializing in U.S. life science policy and global scientific career issues. He began his career in newspapers, but switched to scientific magazines. His work has appeared in publications including Science News, Science, Nature, and Scientific American.

OpinionMay 20, 20254 min readA Good Workout Gets Your Helpful Gut Microbes in Shape, TooA workout boosts the fitness of your gut microbiome. This creates molecules that aids your immune system, metabolism, and moreBy Lydia Denworth Jay BendtThe idea that our workouts could benefit the trillions of microbes that live in our guts—bacteria and viruses that help our immune systems, metabolism, digestion, and other key bodily functions—isn’t obvious. At least it’s not as obvious as the connection between diet and the gut microbiome, as these microbes are called. But evidence is growing that an aerobic workout such as jogging can improve the health of the gut microbes, which in turn improves overall physical health. There are early indications that the relationship works the other way, too: a healthy gut microbiome seems to increase exercise capacity.“When people think about the gut, they default to diet and probiotics,” says Sara Campbell, an exercise physiologist at Rutgers University who specializes in gut microbiota. But now many scientists are “moving toward the reality that exercise can be beneficial for the intestines,” she says.A “healthy” microbiome usually means gut bacteria are abundant and diverse; exercise appears to affect both these qualities. The gut microbes of an elite athlete are more diverse than those of nonathletes or recreational athletes. But a more pertinent issue for health, says Jacob Allen, an exercise physiologist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is “what the microbe is actually doing.”On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Aerobic exercise encourages activity in bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids, which provide essential support for physiological processes.One important finding is that aerobic exercise encourages activity in bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids, which provide essential support for physiological processes. Most fatty acid molecules consist of 16 or 18 carbons, but—as the name suggests—short-chain fatty acids range from just one to six.Of these smaller molecules, butyrate has emerged as an especially important link between exercise and the gut. It supplies energy for a variety of tissues, including the epithelial cells lining the gut, and it can reduce inflammation and improve the ability of cells to take in insulin. Our bodies naturally make a little bit of butyrate, but most is produced by microbes, and its output is boosted by aerobic exercise. (Very few studies have looked at the connection between strength training and butyrate levels, and those that have didn’t find the same effect.)This link between exercise and the gut was barely a glimmer in scientists’ eyes some 15 years ago, when exercise immunologist Marc Cook was a graduate student at the Urbana-Champaign campus. He knew exercise improved symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease, particularly the type called ulcerative colitis. But scientists didn’t understand why. Cook turned to mice to investigate and found that if they ran on a wheel, they were protected against a mouse version of colitis. In addition, there was a sevenfold increase in beneficial bacteria in the lining of the rodents’ colons.In a 2018 study, Allen, Cook (who is now at North Carolina A&T State University), and others tested a gut-health exercise intervention in humans for the first time. They trained both lean and obese people, all of whom were sedentary, to exercise on a treadmill or bike. Everyone started at moderate intensity three days a week and increased to one hour of high-intensity exercise per session.After six weeks all participants showed increases in butyrate and two other short-chain fatty acids, acetate and propionate. They also got the expected benefits of exercise, such as reductions in fat mass and improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness. (All the effects were greater in lean people, a finding that the researchers don’t yet understand.) After a further six weeks in which everyone stopped exercising, microbes in the gut returned to baseline levels, and health benefits decreased.Researchers haven’t fully teased out which effects of exercise can be directly attributed to microbiota versus the other changes brought on by physical activity, but there is a clear difference in gut environment. “We know there’s a slight shunting of blood toward the muscles and away from the gastrointestinal tract during exercise,” Allen says. That causes a small decrease in oxygen in gut tissue. There are changes in pH and temperature within the GI tract as well. Each of these shifts could affect which microbes survive.Studies in humans are complicated by the enormous diversity of microbiomes from person to person and from group to group. Researchers are now trying to account for differences in response. Campbell is investigating variations by sex. Cook is studying the effects of short-chain-fatty-acid-producing bacteria in Black people, who have a high rate of hypertension. In a pilot study, he and his colleagues identified bacteria associated with high blood pressure in Black athletes, and they hope to identify a target for intervention.As for the effects of microbiota on exercise capacity, most of that evidence comes from mice. Animals dosed with antibiotics to kill off their microbiomes exercise less than mice with healthy microbiomes and reach exhaustion faster. Research has also shown that an intact gut microbiota contributes to more muscle development.This evolving research doesn’t change the standard recommendation for human exercise, which is to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week. But it adds strength to the arguments for doing such activity and may ultimately help explain why people respond to exercise differently. Someday there may even be a way boost the microbiome so that it responds better to time in the gym. Already, though, the science gives new meaning to the idea of gutting out your workout.This is an opinion and analysis article, and the views expressed by the author or authors are not necessarily those of Scientific American.

A section of the cervixOVERSEAS/COLLECTION CNRI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Scientists have coaxed human cells to form a miniature replica of the cervix during pregnancy. This so-called cervix-on-a-chip reveals how inflammation and the vaginal microbiome can contribute to premature birth – and identifies a possible treatment to prevent it. Premature birth – when a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy – affects more than 13 million infants each year and is the second leading cause of childhood mortality and disability. Yet there are no effective…

Pro-tooth decay RFK Jr’s plan to ban fluoride supplements will “hurt rural America,” dentists say In areas without fluoridated water, supplements are the only way to get adequate doses. Beth Mole – May 16, 2025 5:55 pm | 19 Credit: Getty | Flavio Coelho Credit: Getty | Flavio Coelho Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more This week, the US health department announced a plan to ban prescription fluoride supplements for children. These ingested fluoride products are dispensed at safe doses by doctors and dentists to prevent tooth decay in children who are unable to get adequate fluoride doses from community water systems—something that may become more common as more states and cities remove or ban fluoride from their water. Both the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend fluoridating community water and advise prescribing fluoride supplements for children who do not get adequate fluoride dosages through their water. Nevertheless, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under anti-vaccine advocate and conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr states without clear evidence that fluoride supplements harm children's microbiome and pose other health risks. The ADA pushed back strongly, telling Ars Technica in a written statement that the scientific studies the HHS references as evidence of harms "do not in fact demonstrate any harmful effects for the concentrations of fluoride prescribed by physicians and dentists." To support the alleged claim that fluoride harms the gut microbiome, HHS listed two review studies in its announcement. One review, published this year, concludes, "In humans, high doses potentially may be detrimental to the microbiome, whereas ≤ 2 mg/L [sodium fluoride] had positive effects." Community water systems are recommended to have a level of 0.7 mg/L. The other review, published in 2023, said that there wasn't enough human data to make any conclusions. In the announcement, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary was quoted as saying, "The best way to prevent cavities in children is by avoiding excessive sugar intake and good dental hygiene, not by altering a child’s microbiome. For the same reason that fluoride may kill bacteria on teeth, it may also kill intestinal bacteria important for a child’s health." “Harmful” While fluoride can kill bacteria, particularly at high levels, it's used in oral health to inhibit the demineralization of tooth enamel while enhancing the remineralization of tooth surfaces, the ADA clarifies. The best way to get fluoride is through drinking water, the ADA says. But supplements are a safe alternative if a child lives in an area without fluoridated water or if they mostly drink bottled water. Given rampant false and controversial claims about fluoride, more communities are now abandoning it. This week, Florida became the second state after Utah to ban fluoridation state-wide. "Yes, use fluoride for your teeth, that’s fine," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference after signing the ban into law. "But forcing it in the water supply is basically forced medication on people. They don’t have a choice." ADA President Brett Kessler worries what children in places such as Utah and Florida will do to get adequate fluoride if the ban on supplements goes through. “In non-fluoridated communities, especially rural areas, fluoride supplements are the only chance for individuals to get the appropriate amount of fluoride to prevent tooth decay," Kessler said in the statement. The move will be "particularly harmful to the most vulnerable and those who lack access to care," he added. While Makary said that the FDA will conduct a safety review of  fluoride supplements, the conclusion seems to be foregone, with the HHS writing that it is already "initiating action to remove" the products. The ADA noted that places that have removed fluoride from drinking water, such as Calgary, Canada, and Juneau, Alaska, have seen increases in dental decay, particularly among children and low-income populations. "Proposals like this stand to hurt rural America, not make them healthier," Kessler said. Beth Mole Senior Health Reporter Beth Mole Senior Health Reporter Beth is Ars Technica’s Senior Health Reporter. Beth has a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and attended the Science Communication program at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She specializes in covering infectious diseases, public health, and microbes. 19 Comments

Dr. James Kinross believes gut health is linked to colon cancer risk. Getty Images/ Justine Stoddart 2025-05-13T11:59:36Z Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Our modern lifestyles are thought to damage our gut health in a way that raises the risk of colon cancer. Lifestyle changes can improve the gut microbiome, which could in turn lower the risk of colon cancer. As well as eating healthily, GI surgeon James Kinross eats enough vitamin D to prevent the disease. Colon cancer is rising in people under 50. James Kinross, a gastrointestinal surgeon who researches how the gut microbiome affects our risk of the disease, told Business Insider that poor gut health could be partly to blame.Research suggests the gut microbiome, the trillions of microbes that live in the digestive tract, has a wide-ranging effect on our health. But our sterile, urbanized lifestyles, appear to have made them less diverse overall and, therefore, weaker, according to Kinross, who is based at Imperial College London."You're seeing a generational loss in our internal ecology, which is being hammered with a series of environmental hits that it simply cannot adapt to," he said, referring to factors including microplastics, ultra-processed foods, and minimal access to nature. Many studies have linked But, the gut microbiome is changeable, meaning there are things we can do to increase its diversity, which in turn could help lower colon cancer risk. "It is an ecosystem which you can adapt, and you can modify," he said.Kinross previously shared with BI how he eats to boost his gut microbiome. He shared the three things he does aside from healthy eating to lower his colon cancer risk.Don't take antibiotics if you don't need to Kinross limits his antibiotic use where possible because the medication disrupts the gut microbiome. Trevor Williams/Getty Images As a surgeon, Kinross is acutely aware that antibiotics are often necessary and save millions of lives each year, but he believes we use them too liberally — particularly to treat viral infections they can't tackle."In my house, to qualify for antibiotics, you've really got to have a pathogen that you need treated," Kinross said.Kinross and his family limit their use of antibiotics as much as possible because taking them can disrupt the ecosystem of the gut microbiome, killing off good bacteria along with pathogens, and reducing diversity.He likened it to pouring weed killer all over your garden. "Your garden won't really grow into a lovely garden full of wild meadows and flowers and color. It will just be brown and lifeless," he said.Take vitamin DKinross takes a vitamin D supplement because evidence suggests that having enough of the nutrient is important for gut health. Vitamin D is crucial for several biological processes, including calcium absorption and cellular repair — but also keeps the lining of the small intestine strong. If the lining becomes weak, microbes can pass through it into the bloodstream and cause inflammation. Chronic inflammation is linked to a higher risk of chronic diseases, including cancer.Vitamin D is found in foods including oily fish, egg yolks, and red meat, as well as from sunlight. In countries with climates like the UK's, where Kinross lives, it can be difficult to get enough vitamin D in the colder months, and residents are advised to supplement from October to March.Socialize Social connections are a pillar of health. pixdeluxe/Getty Images Kinross goes cycling with friends regularly and makes sure to sit down to eat dinner with his family in the evenings. As well as being a pillar of overall health, research suggests that socializing positively impacts the composition of our gut microbiomes, Kinross said.We exchange microbes through physical touch, and studies have found that friends, family members, and spouses have similar gut microbes to one another.A 2024 study published in the journal Nature, based on 1,787 adults from 18 isolated villages in Honduras, found that people in the same social network shared more similarities in their gut microbiomes compared to those outside of it. This was regardless of diet, water sources, and medications. Spouses and people living together had the highest amount of microbial sharing, but the phenomenon still occurred among friends and even friends of friends."Our social interactions, our real-world social interactions, define so much of our health," Kinross said. "It's good for all aspects of our health. It's good for our mental health, it's good for our cardiovascular health. It's good for everything. But if you're not having real-world social interaction, you are not really optimizing your gut health, I believe." Recommended video