Exactly how the creatures can survive remains a mystery, but scientists say uncovering that mechanism could help them devise better protection for human astronauts on long missions. (sciencemag.org)
Called CIMON (Crew Interactive Mobile Companion), the new crew member is about the size of a medicine ball and will work alongside human astronauts in space. (fortune.com)
Researchers are already exploring the dangers that hitchhiking microbes from Earth would pose to potential alien life, as well as the risk of alien microbes to the health of human astronauts. (sciencenews.org)