A review published in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences argues that beneficial fungi could transform sterile lunar and Martian regolith into a viable substrate for growing crops, supporting future human settlements beyond Earth.

Penicillium has been named Microbe of the Year 2026, recognising its role in producing antibiotics that have saved millions of lives since 1928. Industrial strains now produce hundreds of thousands of times more penicillin than the original discovery, with global production reaching 50,000 tonnes annually