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Space
Space
Science
Victoria Corless

We could terraform Mars with desert moss — but does that mean we should?

Artist's illustration depicting the terraforming of Mars — turning into a more Earth-like world.

A desert moss could be the key to terraforming Mars, according to a recent study published by Chinese scientists.

Due to its extraordinary resilience, Syntrichia caninervis (S. caninervis), a moss found in extreme desert environments from Tibet to Antarctica, has been touted a "pioneer plant" for establishing a livable environment on Mars. Basically, scientists believe this plant could enrich the planet's rocky surface to enable the growth of other plants.

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