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Space
Space
Science
Charles Q. Choi

Astronauts might be able to grow plants on the moon, thanks to a few Earth microbes

About 10 small green sprouts grow out of dark, damp dirt inside a small glass jar.

Microbes could help unlock vital nutrients in lunar soil to one day help farms sustain astronaut crews on the moon, a new study reports.

Previous research found that lunar soil possesses a number of elements vital for plant growth. This has raised hopes that greenhouse farms on the moon could make use of local resources to help lunar bases sustain life, instead of astronauts having to lug huge amounts of soil or bulky hydroponic systems from Earth.

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