Aliens | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/aliens/RSS feed for AliensenWed, 13 May 2026 18:57:59 +0000This Microscopic Fungus Survived NASA's Sterilization Protocols—and Is Potentially Hardy Enough to Contaminate Marshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-microscopic-fungus-survived-nasas-sterilization-protocols-and-is-hardy-enough-to-potentially-contaminate-mars-180988728/The microbe was gathered from the agency's clean rooms, where experts build spacecraft in carefully controlled environments. The findings reveal gaps in the agency's procedures to prevent durable hitchhikersWed, 13 May 2026 18:57:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-microscopic-fungus-survived-nasas-sterilization-protocols-and-is-hardy-enough-to-potentially-contaminate-mars-180988728/