Researchers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory report that fungal spores recovered from spacecraft assembly cleanrooms can survive a suite of simulated space and Martian conditions, raising fresh concerns about forward contamination. In experiments reported in Applied and Environmental Microbiology (April 2026), scientists collected 27 fungal strains from facilities used in the Mars 2020 program and exposed their asexual spores (conidia) to intense ultraviolet radiation, months-long ionizing radiation doses, low pressure, Mars-like regolith, and extreme cold. Most strains survived UV exposure; one species, Aspergillus calidoustus, withstood UV, prolonged ionizing radiation and low-pressure, low-temperature conditions that mimic a mission to Mars. Only prolonged exposure to a combination of very high radiation and extreme cold reliably killed it. The team, led by Kasthuri Venkateswaran of JPL, says the findings do not prove Mars contamination will occur but highlight fungi as an underappreciated gap in planetary protection protocols. The results also note potential human-health implications for astronaut safety and call for updated sterilisation and monitoring standards for future robotic and crewed missions.

The Lyrid meteor shower reaches its peak in the predawn hours of April 22, 2026, offering skywatchers across both hemispheres a chance to see shooting stars from debris shed by Comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher). The shower is active roughly April 14–25 (some outlets extend visibility to April 26), with typical rates of 10–30 meteors per hour under dark skies and commonly quoted peak estimates of 15–20 per hour. Observers should look toward the constellation Lyra (near the bright star Vega) but scan away from the radiant to catch longer, brighter streaks. Lunar conditions this year are favorable — a slim crescent moon or moonset near midnight reduces light interference — and many outlets recommend watching after midnight into the early morning, allowing 20–30 minutes for night-vision adaptation. For those impeded by clouds or light pollution, multiple free global livestreams (Mauna Kea, Atacama, Maine, Mount Fuji, U.K. sites) will broadcast the event. Note: the Eta Aquariids, fed by Halley’s Comet, will follow in May and may overlap marginally for some viewers.

NASA’s Curiosity rover has detected the most diverse suite of organic molecules yet identified on Mars, researchers reported April 21 in Nature Communications. A rock nicknamed “Mary Anning 3,” drilled in 2020 from clay‑rich sandstones in Glen Torridon on Mount Sharp (Gale Crater), yielded 21 carbon‑containing molecules; seven had not previously been seen on Mars. Among the novel detections are a nitrogen heterocycle — a ringed molecule considered a chemical precursor to RNA/DNA — and benzothiophene, a sulfur‑bearing compound found in meteorites. The results come from the first off‑Earth use of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) thermochemolysis in the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument, a “wet chemistry” test that breaks macromolecular carbon into analyzable fragments. Team lead Amy Williams and colleagues verified aspects of the technique using a Murchison meteorite sample. Scientists emphasise the findings do not prove past life: the organics could be native abiotic products or delivered by meteorites. The discovery shows complex organics can survive ~3.5 billion years in Martian clays and will inform future missions and sample‑return priorities.

Researchers at the Salk Institute in San Diego report a rare, nonviolent transfer of reproductive power in a captive naked mole rat colony. The 'Amigos' colony, established in 2019 and led by queen Teré, experienced reproductive disruption after overcrowding and a 2022 lab relocation. Teré stopped reproducing for about a year; instead of the species’ characteristic violent queen wars, two of her daughters began breeding sequentially and one, named Arwen, was the sole birthing queen by late 2025 while Teré remained in a protective, nonbreeding role. The study, published April 15 in Science Advances and reported by outlets including NPR and Live Science, contrasts with ongoing lethal fights in other captive colonies such as at the Smithsonian National Zoo. Authors say peaceful succession reduces the costs of aggression — injuries and loss of workers — and reveals previously underappreciated reproductive flexibility in this eusocial mammal, which is widely studied for its longevity and disease resistance.

NASA’s Artemis II crewed test flight (launched April 1, 2026) completed a roughly 694,481-mile lunar flyby and splashed down off San Diego on April 10, returning four astronauts — NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, and CSA’s Jeremy Hansen — safely to Earth. Initial post-flight assessments through April 20–21 show Orion’s thermal protection system performed as expected, with char loss markedly reduced compared with Artemis I. Diver imagery and US Navy recovery photos documented the heat shield’s condition; the crew module will be transported to Kennedy Space Center and then to Marshall Space Flight Center for detailed sample extraction and X-ray scans. NASA teams are also probing a urine vent-line clog identified during the mission. Ames Research Center in California supported the mission with aerodynamic and aerothermal modeling, onboard heat-shield sensors, 3D-MAT compression pads, wind-tunnel testing that validated SLS core-stage strakes to reduce vibration, and SBIR-driven technologies. Early reviews indicate the SLS rocket and ground systems met flight objectives; the mobile launcher has returned to the Vehicle Assembly Building for repairs and preparation for upcoming missions.