A study published in Science Advances on August 19, 2026, suggests that microbes hitching a ride with future Artemis astronauts could potentially survive in the shadowed regions of the Moon's south pole.

Simulations of the Nobile Rim, Connecting Ridge, and De Gerlache Rim revealed that even an astronaut's footprint could become a habitable zone for microbes. The researchers tested five common human skin and spacecraft microorganisms, including the fungus Aspergillus niger, to determine their tolerance to heat and ultraviolet radiation.

The study utilized detailed environmental maps built from elevation and temperature data collected by instruments on NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter combined with radiation models. A similar warning was issued in a NASA study published on April 12, 2026, which noted that human microbes traveling with astronauts could survive in the permanently shadowed regions of the Moon's South Pole.