Has anyone heard the story about possible Earth bacteria on the Moon?

Question

This might be some weird urban legend, but I heard a story (which I doubt, but might be possible) about one of the missions to the Moon where bacteria was implanted into the lunar soil. As it were, one of the missions involved covering a metal instrument with viruses (maybe staph), and then placing this instrument on the ground. Somehow, NASA determined that some of these viruses were still alive after several years. I'm not sure where this story originated. If this were true, and if some of our microorganisms were actually able to survive there, then a few of them might have adapted to life on the Moon under very harsh conditions, and we could have a lunar strain of (staph?) viruses, which would probably wreak havoc if brought back to Earth. Has anyone heard anything about this?

Also, could you please answer this question before it expires?
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Answer 1

I believe you have heard a variation of an actual bacterial contamination incident during the Apollo Program. The second lunar landing mission (Apollo 12) was designed to demonstrate the accuracy of the landing system computer (known as the DSKY) which resulted in a landing site being chosen near an unmanned spacecraft (Surveyor lander) that had landed almost three years earlier(long before the first human landing). Although this was a huge challenge,the system worked so well that the crew (Commander Pete Conrad and LM Pilot Alan Bean) landed less than 2 football fields away from the lander in Sept of1969. The Surveyor spacecraft was examined and photographed and several parts were removed for study, including a scissor type retractable scoop which was brought back to earth (The lunar recieving lab...a very controlled and sterile enviornment)in a vacuum sealed container. To the examining science teams surprise, the parts were found to contain human bacterial organisms that belonged to neither of the astronauts on the mission. This was indeed a shocking surprise and caused some brief concern and amazement. Through strict and thorough testing it was learned that the bacteria found was directly traceable(DNA etc.) to the technician who had origionally installed the scoop on the spacecraft before the flight...three years prior! He sheepishly admitted to having had a cold/virus while working on the vehicle and recalled sneezing around the spacecraft while performing the installation. To his credit...the concern for returning alien microorganisms to Earth was considered to be the priority and not much thought was given to possibly contaminating an envirnment so seemingly inhospitable as the lunar surface. To be sure...the surface temperature on the moon ranges from -220 degrees or so, up to 200+ degrees,no air, no water and is a near perfect vacuum. No bacteria was found in any lunar rock or soil samples though.The fact that something, even a simple bacterial organism could survive even a minute much less 3 years is amazing in itself. And yet it happened (despite the conspiracy theorists claims...a whole 'nother "often abused" notion). It lends hope to finding additional "life" somewhere other than here on Earth someday. As a result...we are taking great care in assessing any contamination "both ways" as we look to returning to the moon and, even more challenging, on to Mars and even beyond. I hope this helps :)

Answer 2

This sounds a lot like the Surveyor 3 bacteria discovery.

Apollo 12 landed a few hundred feet from the Surveyor 3 probe, which had been sent to the Moon two and a half years previously. One of its objectives was to bring back parts of the Surveyor for analysis. On one of the parts bacteria or viruses were found and subsequently cultured.

It was popularly held that somoene had sneezed while making the Surveyor, and that the bacteria had survived in there during the time on the Moon in a state of suspended animation until their return to Earth. However, it is considered by some to be equally likely that the bacteria were actually introduced accidentally during the analysis after the parts were returned to Earth and in fact never went to the Moon.

Either way we have no need to worry about a lunar strain of viruses. Viruses are purely parasitic and cannot reproduce independently. They operate by hijacking the replication mechanisms of a host cell. Without a viable host cell they cannot reproduce at all, therefore before lunar viruses appear there must first be lunar bacteria for them to use as hosts. Although there may be bacteria capable of surviving on the Moon, there is an important distinction to be made between surviving and living. They may be able to survive on the Moon but they are unlikely to be able to reproduce there, since they will lack the necessary elements to do it. All life that originated on Earth requires water. One of the distinguishing features of lunar rock samples brought back to Earth is that they are entirely devoid of water. If the bacteria cannot reproduce, nor can viruses, and hence there is no way for either organism to adapt to lunar conditions. They just sit around and wait until they are once again provided with the nutrients they need.

Answer 3

Yes it is true. The Lunar module of the Apollo 12 mission landed on the Moon in November 1969 about 500 feet from the the unmanned Surveyor 3 which landed in April 1967. The two astronauts, Pete Conrad and Alan Bean returned to Earth various parts of Surveyor 3 in order to see how the material was affected by the Lunar environment. Since Surveyor 3 was not sterilized before launch, scientists also wanted to see if anything living survived and microscopic analysis found small amounts of the bacteria Streptococcus Mitis.

Answer 4

Apollo 12 landed close to an unmanned probe called Surveyor 3, and as part of a study into effect of exposure on spacecraft, the video camera was lopped off and returned to Earth, where bacteria were detected. As the camera was in a 'clean room' the bacteria must have remained dormant in the camera on the moon for some months. The bacteria (streptococcus mitis) was later determined to have contaminated the camera as it was assembled on Earth, as quarantine for objects going out weren't nearly as strict as stuff coming in.

Answer 5

Sounds like someone was pulling your chain. There have not been two lunar missions anywhere near each other, so how would NASA know there was any remaining viruses there? Not to mention a lunar day can reach 240 degreese. Not to mention no water, no air, no organic matter, high UV radiation, that would have to be one tough virus to survive.

Answer 6

If the viruses would be implanted there ,the viruses would not live there.The conditions on the moon are secondary,when would the viruses live.I mean remember viruses need host body to survive.There is no living thing on the moon and so no host for the viruses!

Answer 7

I don't know about bacteria being placed on the moon, but whatever you do don't listen to the moron who told you that the Apollo manned lunar landings were hoaxes. If you do start to accept all that drivel, please go to this website first and get the *scientific* facts ==>http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/tv/foxapollo.html

Answer 8

Oh yea I heard about that but that was found on mars it it was Bactria. They said that long ago mars had a Bactria like substance on it.

Answer 9

That would be impossible as nobody ever went to the moon, please see the attached URL

It is widely considered a hoax and was all staged on a studio set - just Google "Moon Hoax" and you will read articles about it

Answer 10

i think it was mars... and i think what they found were dead remains of bacteria. i.e proteins and amino acids which kinda proved that bacteria existed