A new modeling study led by NASA researchers indicates that some fungi and bacteria carried from Earth could remain viable for weeks or months in certain protected locations near the Moon’s poles. Published in Science Advances on August 19, 2026, the research examined how long cells might persist under modeled environmental conditions. It did not test whether the organisms could grow or reproduce on the lunar surface.
Three areas near the lunar south pole were modeled
The team examined Nobile Rim, Connecting Ridge and de Gerlache Rim near the Moon’s south pole. The models incorporated environmental observations from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and information about radiation exposure. The results suggested that some locations, including the interiors of permanently shadowed craters, could offer more protection than surfaces exposed directly to sunlight.
The lunar surface presents extremely difficult conditions for living organisms. It has no breathable atmosphere and exposes material to natural vacuum, energetic particles, ultraviolet radiation and wide temperature changes. According to the study details reported by Reuters, daytime temperatures on some exposed surfaces can reach about 127 degrees Celsius. Ultraviolet radiation and heat were among the largest threats in the simulations.
Two fungi and three bacteria were assessed
The study considered five microbial groups. Researchers modeled two fungi, Aspergillus niger and representatives of Fusarium, along with three bacteria: Deinococcus radiodurans, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. The two fungi were more resilient in the modeled lunar conditions than the three bacterial species.
Aspergillus niger produced the strongest survival result among the organisms assessed. Fusarium also showed resilience, although it did not perform as strongly as Aspergillus. Among the bacteria, Deinococcus radiodurans was the most resistant, while Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis were more vulnerable to ultraviolet exposure.
The finding is not evidence of growth on the Moon
The researchers emphasized the limited scope of the result. Their work modeled the persistence of cells under particular conditions; it did not show that microbes were growing, reproducing or forming a lasting ecosystem on the Moon. The distinction is important because the findings do not amount to evidence that life has been discovered on the lunar surface.
The models identified protected niches that could extend across areas as large as crater floors. Burial beneath regolith was considered as one possible scenario that might provide additional shielding from heat and radiation. The study did not investigate whether lunar conditions could produce mutations that would make the microbes more harmful.
Tracking contamination during future missions
The main implication concerns planetary protection and the integrity of future science. People, spacecraft, spacesuits, tools and other equipment can unintentionally carry Earth microbes to the lunar surface. If cells persist long enough, they could complicate later measurements of chemical compounds, organic material or resources in samples collected from the Moon.
NASA’s Artemis program is aimed at returning astronauts to the region around the lunar south pole, while other countries are also planning longer-term lunar exploration. The researchers said contamination may not be entirely avoidable, making it important to document the microbes transported by each mission. Such records could help future scientists distinguish naturally occurring lunar material from biological traces introduced from Earth.
