According to Mehr News Agency, citing Reuters, a finding that warns about the possibility of contamination of the moon in future missions and the transfer of terrestrial microorganisms to this celestial body.
In this study, researchers examined five microorganisms, including three types of bacteria and two types of fungi, that are likely to be transferred to the moon during space missions with humans or equipment. They matched data on the resistance of these microbes to harsh conditions with maps of ultraviolet radiation and the temperature of the lunar surface.
The results showed that parts of the moon's south pole, especially areas that are constantly in shadow, could create conditions in which some of these microbes can survive for a while. Because these areas are in shadow, they are protected from direct ultraviolet radiation and the intense heat of the sun. Even small depressions in the lunar surface or the footprints of astronauts and rover wheels can create a shadow that becomes a temporary shelter for microbes.
Of the five microorganisms studied, the black fungus Aspergillus niger was the most resistant. Some species of Fusarium were also somewhat resistant, and among the bacteria, Deinococcus radiodurans was the most tolerant. In contrast, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis were more vulnerable to ultraviolet radiation and extreme heat.
However, the researchers emphasize that "surviving" these microbes does not mean they can grow or reproduce on the moon. These microorganisms can enter a state similar to biological sleep, or cryptobiosis, in which their biological activity stops.
The finding is important for future missions, especially to the south pole of the moon, because this region is a major target for human exploration and the search for resources such as water ice. The introduction of terrestrial microbes could complicate scientific studies of the Moon's native materials, making it more difficult to identify the origin of organic compounds or possible signs of life.
Researchers have also suggested that in the past, collisions with Earth could have thrown rocks containing microbes into space, some of which landed on the Moon. So the Moon may, under the right conditions, have preserved some of the evidence for ancient life on Earth, a hypothesis that needs further investigation.