
If we are
ever to establish a permanent base on Mars — and survive there
— we will need to learn how to farm on the Red Planet before we make solid
plans to relocate. To that end, scientists have already started experimenting
with simulated Martian soil developed by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space
Administration).
The soil
simulant was created using data collected by Mars rovers and orbiters and is
said to be as close to the real thing as possible, given the information that’s
currently available. Since the soil doesn’t contain any organic material, it
technically wouldn’t be classified as soil down here on Earth. Scientists are
referring to it as such in order to distinguish it from the rocks and gravel
present in the Martian regolith.
The study
involved introducing rucola plants (better known as arugula), manure
fertilizer, and earthworms to the soil sample. The worms took to their new
environment so well that they actually began to reproduce before the experiment
came to an end.
“Clearly the
manure stimulated growth, especially in the Mars soil simulant, and we saw that
the worms were active,” commented lead researcher Wieger Wamelink, according to
a report from Science Daily.
“However, the best surprise came at the end
of the experiment when we found two young worms in the Mars soil simulant.”
Growing
Up
NASA’s soil
simulant has many potential uses, including tests designed to determine if
matter on the surface of Mars will interfere with equipment — like planetary
rovers and space suits. It’s also proving to be an integral part of ongoing
efforts over the last few years to determine the Red Planet’s capacity for
growing crops.
Rather than
sending massive amounts of food along with Martian explorers, it makes more
sense to give them a method of producing supplies once they’re up there. If a
crew could grow crops on the surface of Mars, it would help solve one of
the biggest issues preventing such an expedition from getting off
the ground.
Wamelink and
his team conducted a study back in 2016 that proved vegetables
can be grown in the Martian soil simulant. Now, it’s a matter of
improving upon the process — as it’s still not quite as effective as the soil
we find on Earth, and therefore couldn’t be expected to sustain the needs of
human crewmembers.
The fact
that earthworms are apparently able to thrive in Martian soil is good news.
As the worms would be of useful service when it comes to growing crops. The creatures digest decaying plant matter and turn it into nutrients, as well as aerate the soil as they tunnel through it.
As the worms would be of useful service when it comes to growing crops. The creatures digest decaying plant matter and turn it into nutrients, as well as aerate the soil as they tunnel through it.
However,
there are still several other obstacles that still need to be overcome: the
planet’s freezing-cold conditions, its
surface radiation, and the fact that it only gets 60 percent
of the light that Earth does, which would slow the growth of any plants.
In addition
to those challenges, Wamelink and his team will next set out to study how the
large quantities of a chlorine compound called perchlorate found on Mars
could affect any vegetables grown there.
References: ScienceAlert, Worms
for Mars
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