Perhaps the big crops written about by Heinlein and Varley
are not quite realized yet,,, but ---
https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/techandscience/scientists-grow-plants-in-moon-soil-for-the-first-time-in-latest-breakthrough/ar-AAXehYx#:~:text=Scientists%20have%20now%20managed%20to%20grow%20plants%20in,from%20an%20extraterrestrial%20body%2C%20a%20new%20study%20claims.
Scientists Grow Plants In Moon Soil For The First Time In Latest
Breakthrough
Bharat Sharma - Friday
Scientists Grow Plants In Moon Soil For The First Time In Latest
Breakthrough
© Provided by Indiatimes
Scientists have now managed to grow plants in Moon dirt, marking a
breakthrough for future of humanity in case a colony were to be set up
on the Moon.
This marks the first time that seeds have ever been sown in soils from
an extraterrestrial body, a new study claims. In the future, lunar
gardens could be set up to support human colonies and astronauts on
long-term missions to the Moon, Vice reported.
While the plants managed to grow in lunar soil, most of them were
stunted when compared to the same plants that grew in Earth-based materials.
Andrew McCarthy
© Provided by Indiatimes
Andrew McCarthy
Could Moon support Earth's plants?
The study, published in the journal Communications Biology on Thursday,
builds on plans to grow plants in regolith, the loose material on the
Moon and other rocky objects in space.
UF/IFAS PHOTO BY TYLER JONES
© Provided by Indiatimes
UF/IFAS PHOTO BY TYLER JONES
Also read: Our Moon May Have Been Stealing Water From Earth's
Atmosphere, New Study Finds
"Terrestrial life can potentially live on the Moon, and for astronauts
spending any time on the Moon, plants can be used for life support in
ways that have till now have only been speculated about," Robert Ferl
from the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural
Sciences and senior author of the study told Vice.
The scientists grew a plant called "Arabidopsis thaliana" more commonly
known as thale cress. It was able to germinate and grow in "diverse
lunar regoliths," they wrote, while adding that plants that were seeded
in a fake lunar soil called JSC lunar simulant did not grow as well.
Also read: NASA Will Send Artificial Female Bodies To The Moon To Study
Radiation Effects
The plants were grown in three different samples of Moon soil that were
returned by the Apollo 11, 12, and 17 missions. For the mission, NASA
gave them 12 grams of lunar soil in total. NASA hopes to tackle this
demand when crews aboard future Artemis missions bring back more soil
samples to Earth.
Representative: iStock
© Provided by Indiatimes
What do you think about growing plants in lunar soil? Let us know in the
comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep
reading Indiatimes.com.
References
Ferreira, B. (2022b, May 12). Scientists Grow Plants in Moon Soil for
First Time in Major Breakthrough. Vice.
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