Microscopic Stowaways on the ISS

Microbes can turn up in the most inhospitable places. These were found deep within Antarctic ice. More information

As exemplified by the now-famous problems with mold and other fungi aboard the Russian space station Mir, microbes can not only survive in the metallic world of a space station, they can thrive.

Considering the inhospitable environments in which microbes live on Earth, this should come as no surprise.

"They can live in the driest deserts on Earth; they live in Antarctica and also in these deep sea vents and in that boiling water out at Yellowstone. They are very adaptable, and they can grow just about anywhere as long as they have their basic requirements met," Pierson said.

Growth of microbes on the Station's hardware will be controlled in several ways.

First, all materials used in the Space Station are tested for resistance to fungi, such as mold. A paint with a fungus-killing chemical is also used.