Tungsten as interstellar radiation shielding?

A boiling point of 5900 degrees Celsius and diamond-like hardness in combination with carbon: tungsten is the heaviest metal, yet has biological functions - especially in heat-loving microorganisms. A team led by Tetyana Milojevic at the University of Vienna report for the first time rare microbial-tungsten interactions at the nanometer range. Based on these findings, also the survivability of microorganisms in outer space conditions can be investigated. The results appeared in Frontiers in Microbiology.