Earth microbes can survive individual martian hazards—and evade astronaut immune systems

Hopefully, we're about to travel back to the moon relatively soon. And while the original "giant leap for mankind" was taken by a human, Neil Armstrong brought a plethora of other forms of life along with him. Humans themselves are essentially walking ecosystems, and understanding how our microbial companions survive in the harsh environments of space will be critical to ensuring the health and safety of future astronauts, no matter where their giant leaps might be. A new Ph.D. thesis from Tommaso Zaccaria at Radboud University showcases just how well suited terrestrial pathogens actually are to some of these harsh environments.