NASA Research Suggests Earth Microbes Can Endure Lunar Conditions

NASA scientists have found that terrestrial microbes could potentially survive in cold, shadowed regions near the Moon's South Pole. This discovery, published in *Science Advances*, suggests that microbial refuges, some as small as a footprint, could exist, with *Aspergillus niger* even tolerating limited sunlight. These findings highlight the importance of understanding microbial persistence in extreme lunar environments as human lunar presence expands, potentially complicating searches for pristine lunar chemistry.