WIKIMEDIA, NIAIDFrom the early days of space exploration, NASA assumed that astronauts could encounter extraterrestrial microorganisms during their missions. Would these organisms be entirely alien? Could they be detected? If they caused disease, could astronauts learn enough about them to determine treatments?
Over time, NASA innovations led to the development of detectors now used on the International Space Station (ISS) to locate and eradicate colonies of organisms before they interfere with astronaut health or ISS functioning (a remarkable lab-on-a-chip). Others approached the challenge from the perspective of life functions. For example, instead of trying to identify an entire organism, a detector could find evidence of biomarkers, metabolism, or even sound.
Exposure to novel microbes is not just an extraterrestrial concern. Pathogens seriously impact human health each day. Biodefense is the field of activity in which we work to predict, prevent, and respond to major infectious disease threats, whether they come from nature, terrorists, or lab accidents. Civilian and military planners determine which biological threats are most likely, ...
