 In March 2011, three researchers co-authored a paper, entitled "A Microbe on the Moon?Surveyor III and Lessons Learned for Future Sample Return Missions" that assessed the validity of claims that the "S. mitis" samples found on the camera had indeed survived for nearly three years on the Moon.The paper concluded that the presence of microbes could more likely be attributed to poor clean room conditions rather than the survival of bacteria for three years in the harsh moon environment.