Antarctic fungi might allude to potential for life on Mars

Scientists are looking for life on Mars. A tiny fungus from Antarctica may help them. The fungus lived on the International Space Station (ISS) for 18 months in air and pressure that are like Mars.

What are Cryptoendolithic Fungi?

Cryptoendolithic fungi live inside tiny cracks in rocks. The word cryptoendolithic means “hidden inside stone.” In the cold desert of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, these fungi hide from wind and cold. Two species were studied: Cryomyces antarcticus and Cryomyces minteri. They are some of the toughest life forms on Earth.

How the Space Experiment Was Done

European researchers collected the fungi from the Antarctic rocks. They put the samples in a special tray called EXPOSE‑E. EXPOSE‑E is a platform built by the European Space Agency. It can protect experiments from the harsh space environment.

The tray was launched on the Space Shuttle Atlantis. An astronaut attached it to the outside of the ISS’s Columbus module. The experiment was led by Belgian astronaut Frank de Winne. For 18 months the fungi were exposed to a Mars‑like atmosphere:

• 95% carbon dioxide (CO₂)
• 1.6% argon
• 0.15% oxygen (O₂)
• 2.7% nitrogen (N₂)
• 370 parts per million water vapor
• Pressure of 1,000 pascals (about 1% of Earth’s sea‑level pressure)

They also received ultraviolet (UV) light similar to that on Mars. Some samples got lower UV, while others got higher UV. In addition, the fungi faced temperature swings from –21.5 °C to +59.6 °C and cosmic radiation up to 190 megagrays.

Results: Survival and Activity

After the year‑and‑a‑half trip, scientists checked the fungi. They found that more than 60 percent of the cells were still intact. Rosa de la Torre Noetzel from Spain’s National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA) said the DNA of the cells stayed stable.

When the scientists measured metabolism, the two fungi showed double the activity compared to fungi that were only exposed to space (without the Mars‑like air). This means the fungi were not just alive, they were working harder.

Why This Matters for Mars Exploration

Finding liquid water on Mars last year made the search for life even hotter. If tiny organisms can survive Mars‑like conditions, it tells us that life might have existed on the Red Planet long ago.

The study helps scientists plan future missions. NASA wants to send humans to Mars in the 2030s. Knowing which microbes can live on the surface helps protect astronauts from unknown germs and also shows which organisms could be used to help grow soil or produce oxygen.

Recent research in Communications Biology (Nov 2025) talks about how extremophile microbes could help terraform Mars. The Antarctic fungi are a real‑world example of such extremophiles.

How Scientists Decide If Life Could Survive on Mars

Scientists look at three main things:

• Environment match: Does the test copy Mars’s air, pressure, temperature, and radiation?
• Survival rate: What percent of cells stay alive after the test?
• Metabolic activity: Are the cells still doing chemistry, like eating or growing?

If an organism passes all three, it becomes a good candidate for further study. The Antarctic fungi passed each test, so they are now a model for future Mars‑life experiments.

FAQ

What are cryptoendolithic fungi?

They are tiny fungi that live hidden inside cracks of rocks. This protects them from harsh weather and makes them very tough.

How were the fungi tested on the ISS?

Scientists placed them in the EXPOSE‑E tray, attached it to the ISS, and gave them a Mars‑like mix of gases, low pressure, UV light, temperature swings, and cosmic radiation for 18 months.

What does “more than 60 percent of cells remained intact” mean?

It means that after the test, over six out of ten fungal cells still had healthy DNA and could potentially grow again.

Could these fungi actually live on Mars?

The test shows they can survive the harsh conditions for a long time. Real Mars also has dust storms and other challenges, so more research is needed, but the results are promising.

How does this help future Mars missions?

Knowing which microbes survive helps scientists protect astronauts, plan life‑support systems, and think about using microbes to make soil or oxygen on Mars.

In short, the tiny Antarctic fungi give us hope that life can exist beyond Earth. Their success on the ISS is a big step toward answering the biggest question: Are we alone?