News Planetary Science

Bacteria that can make humans sick could survive on Mars

The findings have implications for future explorers and planetary protection measures

An image of Mars' Jezero crater where NASA's Perseverance rover is currently exploring

Mars’ Jezero crater, as seen here by NASA’s Perseverance rover, might look inhospitable but recent experiments suggest that common terrestrial bacteria could survive on the planet’s surface.

JPL-Caltech/NASA, ASU, MSSS

By Adam Mann

Future interplanetary explorers beware: Hitchhiking bacteria brought to Mars on human bodies might not only survive the harsh conditions on the Red Planet’s surface but also potentially thrive.