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Space
Space
Science
Samantha Mathewson

Astronauts could mine asteroids for food someday, scientists say

A ball of grey boulders and rocks seen against the blackness of space.

Material harvested from asteroids could be used to sustain astronauts during long-duration space missions. 

Researchers from Western University's Institute for Earth and Space Exploration have identified a way to produce edible biomass, aka food, using microbes and the organic compounds found in asteroids. Their proposed process addresses the issue of how to pack enough food for future missions to the outer reaches of the solar system — or even beyond. 

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