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Earth’s Plants Can Grow on the Moon, Human Prospects to Explore Deep into Space

Scientists have for the first time succeeded in growing plant seeds on the moon. Lunar soil samples taken during NASA’s 1969 and 1972 missions to the moon (Source: USA Today)

Writer : Edwin Shri Bimo | Editor : Paradise Faith

WASHINGTON, KOMPAS.TV – Scientists for the first time managed to grow the seeds of a plant, the soil of which was taken from the moon. The lunar soil samples were taken during NASA’s 1969 and 1972 missions to the moon, as reported by Straits Times, Thursday, (13/5/2022).

This success was recorded as a promising achievement, where in the future, the earth’s plants can grow and be used to support human outposts in other worlds. .

Researchers in the United States said Thursday (05/12/2022), they planted the seeds of a tiny flowering weed called Arabidopsis thaliana in 12 small containers each containing one gram of lunar soil, more accurately called lunar regolithand watch them sprout and grow.

Lunar regolith, with its sharp particles and lack of organic matter, is very different from Earth’s soil, so when research began, it was unknown whether the seeds would germinate.

“When we first saw the abundance of green sprouts scattered across all the samples, we were stunned,” said professor of horticultural sciences Anna-Lisa Paul, director of the University of Florida’s Center for Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Research and co-lead research published in the journal Communications Biology.

“Plants can grow on lunar regolith. That one simple statement means a lot and opens the door for future exploration using resources on the moon and possibly Mars,” said Prof Paul.

Each seed germinated and there was no outward difference in the early stages of growth between the seeds sown in the regolith, which consists mostly of crushed basalt rock, and the seeds sown for comparative reasons in volcanic ash from Earth with similar mineral composition and particle size.

Also Read: James Webb Space Telescope Successfully Launched, Tasked with Searching for Signs of Life

Scientists have for the first time succeeded in growing plant seeds in soil from the moon, yes, from lunar soil samples taken during NASA’s 1969 and 1972 missions to the moon. (Source: Journal of Communications Biology)

Regolith seeds, perhaps unsurprisingly, did less well as a growing medium when compared to comparison plants.

They grow slower and are generally smaller, have stunted roots and are more likely to exhibit stress-related traits such as smaller leaves and a reddish black color that is not typical for healthy growth.

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