A collection of hardy micro-animals named tardigrades could be "frozen in time" on the moon having survived a crash.
The tiny creatures, among the toughest species on earth, were on the Israeli Beresheet lander which plummeted down onto the lunar surface.
On board the craft was a payload of the creatures encased in amber from the Arch Mission Foundation. The probe also included a backup of Wikipedia in its entirety.
Its founder since told Wired there were also thousands of tardigrades and that its "payload may be the only surviving thing from that mission".
The organisation said: "Tardigrades can enter a state of deep suspended animation. They are not able to move around or reproduce on the Moon. They are frozen in time.
"They would have to be recovered and taken to a place with a suitable atmosphere, and then rehydrated, to *potentially* be reanimated."
It added that SpaceIL was not aware of the presence of the tardigrades.
Tardigrades are eight-legged animals which were discovered in the 18th century and range from 0.1mm to 1.5mm in length.
