Human-Related Microbes May Survive on the Moon's South Pole, NASA Researchers Find in a New Study

An astronaut could leave more than a footprint on the Moon.

Some microbes that travel with humans may be able to stay alive in protected areas near the lunar South Pole, according to a NASA-led study. Researchers found that certain bacteria and fungi could potentially survive the conditions in some sheltered parts of the region for at least one Earth day.