Growing Plants in Moon Dirt

[Axtremus]

Scientific paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-022-03334-8

Report in popular press:
https://www.wired.com/story/researchers-grew-tiny-plants-in-moon-dirt-collected-decades-ago/

Scientists managed to grow plants in moon dirt collected by the Apollo missions back in the 1970s.

Quite fascinating to read how the plants react to the unusual textures and chemical compositions of the moon dirt that are very different from Earth dirt.

[taiwan_girl]

Interesting!

[Jolly]

Humans produce organics. Just have to learn how to use humanure with the lunar soil. May have to treat it, to remove certain concentrations of certain ions. I'm sure we'll also have to breed plants that do well in 1/6 gravity.

I think the biggest drawback will be water. Plants take a lot of water...

[Mik]

That might be a problem on the moon.

But hey, with this new drive, the moon will only be a couple hours away.

[Copper]

I think the big problem with moon dust/dirt is that it is very abrasive.

There is no wind or weather, so the rough/sharp edges of the rocks stay rough and sharp.

The Apollo astronauts reported that this sharp dust got into everything. I wonder if it will turn out like the alien organism in Andromeda Strain that mutated into a rubber eating monster that dissolved all the air seals.