Scientists Say There May Be Life on the Moon

The dark nooks and crannies of the lunar surface just might harbor life, according to new research. In a preprint study presented at the 56th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference last month, scientists propose that permanently shadowed regions of the Moon, or PSRs, have the right conditions to shelter microbial life forms — which could have profound implications for our efforts to explore the Earth's craggy satellite. Some PSRs haven't seen sunlight in billions of years, due to the slight tilt the Moon has on its axis. That's not news, but what's surprising is that these lightless voids could also be sanctuaries from deadly UV radiation, too. "In space, microbes are typically killed by high heat and ultraviolet radiation," study lead author John Moores, a planetary scientist and associate professor at York University in the UK, told Universe Today. "However, the PSRs are very cold and very dark and, as a result, they are one of the most protective environments in the Solar System ... Read full article.