Lifeforms Can Survive on ‘Significant’ Regions of the Moon, Study Finds
A NASA-led study found microbes like Aspergillus could survive up to seven days in permanently shadowed lunar polar regions.
A study published in Science Advances modeled surface conditions at candidate Artemis landing sites and found significant lunar polar areas may be amenable to microbial survival. The fungus Aspergillus persisted up to seven Earth days in some shadowed regions due to protective pigments and thick cell walls. Findings inform planetary protection planning for upcoming crewed lunar missions.
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