Overview
- Scientists tested a bacterium and a fungus on L-chondrite material aboard the ISS, with matched Earth controls and operations performed in orbit by NASA astronaut Michael Scott Hopkins.
- The study reports biological extraction of 18 of 44 tested elements, with the fungus Penicillium simplicissimum boosting carboxylic-acid production and enhancing release of palladium and platinum.
- Microgravity altered microbial metabolism, producing distinct metabolomic shifts that influenced which elements were leached and by how much.
- Non-biological leaching performed worse in microgravity than on Earth, while microbial extraction remained comparatively steady across gravity conditions.
- Researchers say the findings support microbial biomining for in‑situ resource use, with further work needed to identify optimal microbe–metal pairings and to assess scalability.