As scientists plan future missions to the Moon and Mars, one major question remains: could humans grow food or even support life on these worlds?
New research suggests that the answer might be yes—at least under certain conditions.
Two recent studies published in Scientific Reports explored how plants and microbes might survive in soils that mimic those found on the Moon and Mars.
The results show that life may be able to grow in these harsh environments, although significant challenges remain.
One study focused on growing chickpea plants in simulated lunar soil, also known as lunar regolith.
Real lunar soil is extremely difficult for plants to grow in. It lacks organic matter and helpful microorganisms that exist in Earth soil.
It also contains high levels of metals such as aluminum and zinc that can be toxic to plants. In addition, lunar soil does not hold or drain water well.
To improve the soil, researchers led by Jessica Atkin tested two natural methods that are commonly used in agriculture on Earth.
First, they added vermicompost, a nutrient-rich material created by earthworms as they break down organic waste. Second, they introduced beneficial fungi called arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, or AMF.
These fungi live in partnership with plant roots and help plants absorb nutrients while reducing the uptake of harmful metals.
The researchers grew chickpea plants in simulated lunar soil with different amounts of vermicompost. Half of the soil samples also contained the helpful fungi. They then measured plant height, root growth, and the number and weight of seeds produced.
The results were encouraging. Chickpea plants were able to flower and produce seeds only in soil that contained both vermicompost and the fungi. Plants grown in treated lunar soil still produced fewer seeds than those grown in regular potting soil, but the weight of the seeds was similar in some cases. Plants with the fungi also developed larger shoots and roots, showing that the partnership between plants and microbes helped them grow better.
Even so, all plants grown in the lunar soil mixture showed signs of stress compared with those grown in normal soil. This suggests that while life can grow in lunar-like conditions, the environment would still need improvement to support reliable farming.
A second study looked at whether microbes could survive in Martian soil. Researchers led by Jyothi Raghavendra placed simulated Martian soil in a controlled environment with humidity levels similar to those found on Mars—about 34 percent atmospheric humidity.
Over 60 days, the scientists monitored the amount of DNA in the soil to track microbial growth. They found that the DNA levels increased during the first 30 days, suggesting that microbes in the soil were able to grow by absorbing moisture from the air. However, by day 60 the DNA levels dropped back to zero, indicating that the microbes eventually died off.
The findings suggest that certain microbes may be able to survive temporarily in Martian soil under the right conditions. This could help scientists design future experiments to study whether life might exist—or once existed—on Mars.
Together, the studies show that while the Moon and Mars remain extremely harsh environments, small steps toward growing life beyond Earth may already be possible.
Source: KSR.
