In a NASA-funded study, scientists at the University of Florida grew plants in soil collected from the moon, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Communications Biology.
In a NASA-funded study, scientists at the University of Florida grew plants in soil collected from the moon, according to a study published Thursday in the journalThe study is paramount to NASA's long-term goals in human space exploration, NASA administrator Bill Nelson said in a. The research could also have implications for plants growing in harsh conditions on Earth, he added.
To compare, researchers also planted the seeds in a lunar simulant, designed to closely mimic real lunar soil. Although all of the seeds sprouted, the ones that grew in lunar soil did not grow as"robust" as those in the control, according to the release. Some of the plants grown in the lunar soil samples had"stunted" roots and leaves, as well as some"reddish pigmentation," the release said.