Astronauts may accidentally threaten Mars missions with their gut bacteria, scientists warn

(Left) Mars a future target for human space exploration (Right) Two of the bacteria that reserarchers found can survive in Martian soil.

As space agencies plan for future crewed missions to Mars, with NASA hoping to have humans step foot on the Red Planet as soon as the 2030s, scientists warn that astronauts themselves could be carrying a threat to these missions. 

This threat may very well live within their bodies.