Science
NASA study finds Earth microbes could survive in Moon's south pole craters
Astronaut-carried microbes may persist in cold, shadowed areas, potentially complicating the search for pristine lunar chemistry.
The short version
- A NASA-led study published in Science Advances modeled how Earth microbes carried by astronauts could survive in shadowed regions near the Moon's South Pole.
- The research identified "survivable niches" ranging from large crater floors to areas as small as an astronaut's boot print.
- While certain organisms like the fungus Aspergillus niger show high resilience, researchers emphasized that survival does not mean the microbes can grow or reproduce.
Key facts
- A study led by planetary scientist Prabal Saxena of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center found that some Earth microbes could survive for at least one Earth day in shadowed, cold niches near the Moon's South Pole.[ScienceDaily]
- Using elevation and temperature data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, researchers modeled conditions at the Nobile Rim, Connecting Ridge, and De Gerlache Rim.[ScienceDaily]
- The study examined five microbes associated with humans or spaceflight, including Aspergillus niger, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Deinococcus radiodurans, and several Fusarium species.[ScienceDaily]
- The fungus Aspergillus niger demonstrated the highest resilience due to its UV radiation tolerance, suggesting it could survive even with limited exposure to sunlight.[ScienceDaily]
- Scientists noted that biological contamination is harder to control on crewed missions compared to robotic missions, which can be heated to over 400 degrees Fahrenheit to reduce microbes.[ScienceDaily]
What remains uncertain
- It is unknown exactly how long various Earth microbes can persist in extreme lunar environments, as the study defined "survival" as remaining alive for at least one Earth day.[ScienceDaily]
Sources
- NASA finds Earth microbes could survive on the MoonScienceDaily - Environment