Editing Mir (section)

===Microbiological environmental hazards===
In the 1990s ninety species of micro-organisms were found inside ''Mir'', four years after the station's launch. By the time of its decommission in 2001, the number of known different micro-organisms had grown to 140. As space stations get older, the problems with contamination get worse.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=Space.com  |title=The chemical contamination of the ISS is out of this world (and not in a good way) |date=8 August 2023 |url=https://www.space.com/chemical-contaminant-levels-discovered-on-international-space-station 
|accessdate=2023-08-09}}</ref> Molds that develop aboard space stations can produce acids that degrade metal, glass and rubber.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2007/11may_locad3/|author=Trudy E. Bell|year=2007|title=Preventing "Sick" Spaceships|access-date=12 July 2017|archive-date=14 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170514233537/https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2007/11may_locad3|url-status=live}}</ref> The molds in ''Mir'' were found growing behind panels and inside air-conditioning equipment. The molds also caused a foul smell, which was often cited as visitors' strongest impression.<ref name="bbc2001">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/monitoring/media_reports/1209034.stm|title=Mutant fungus from space|date=8 March 2001|publisher=BBC|access-date=9 May 2015|archive-date=18 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518095038/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/monitoring/media_reports/1209034.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> Researchers in 2018 reported, after detecting the presence on the [[International Space Station]] (ISS) of five ''[[Enterobacter|Enterobacter bugandensis]]'' bacterial strains, none pathogenic to humans, that [[microorganism]]s on ISS should be carefully monitored to continue ensuring a medically healthy environment for the astronauts.<ref name="EA-20181122">{{cite web |author=BioMed Central |title=ISS microbes should be monitored to avoid threat to astronaut health |url=https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-11/bc-ims112018.php |date=22 November 2018 |work=[[EurekAlert!]] |access-date=25 November 2018 |archive-date=26 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126005739/https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-11/bc-ims112018.php |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="BMC-20181123">{{cite journal |author=Singh, Nitin K.|display-authors=etal|title=Multi-drug resistant Enterobacter bugandensis species isolated from the International Space Station and comparative genomic analyses with human pathogenic strains |date=23 November 2018 |journal=[[BMC Microbiology]] |volume=18 |issue=1 |page=175 |doi=10.1186/s12866-018-1325-2 |pmid=30466389 |pmc=6251167 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2018BMCMb..18..175S }}</ref>

Some biologists were concerned about the mutant fungi being a major microbiological hazard for humans, and reaching Earth in the splashdown, after having been in an isolated environment for 15 years.<ref name="bbc2001"/> On the other hand, some scientists are conducting research on whether this situation can be used for life in space.  Scientists have discovered that fungi could actually assist space travel and detect livable environments for humankind in space. In fact, these resilient and frequently underestimated organisms might hold the key to our future on other planets. Fungi play a dramatic role in creating innovative and sustainable building materials. Most fungi possess [[Mycelium|mycelia]], hair-like root structures that grow and spread across surfaces. As mycelia expand, they bind surrounding materials, as wood chips, sawdust, or [[regolith]] (the loose material covering solid rock on planetary bodies like the Moon or Mars). This growth process results in a dense, interconnected network that creates a remarkably strong and durable substance. The resulting mycelium-based material offers notable [[thermal insulation]] and radiation protection, making it an ideal candidate for construction, particularly in severe environments like outer space or other interplanetary habitats.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.ted.com/talks/shannon_odell_why_are_scientists_shooting_mushrooms_into_space/transcript?subtitle=en |title=Why are scientists shooting mushrooms into space? |date=2024-07-18 |last=Odell |first=Shannon |language=en |access-date=2024-12-28 |via=www.ted.com}}</ref>