Question: What can grow in Blue Cheese? Answer: Nothing that I know of—except mold! Good thing then, as it turns out, that the moon is NOT made of Blue Cheese. Because now we know that things can grow in lunar soil. How do we know? Read on…
When NASA launches astronauts back to the moon in the years to come, they may be able to grow their own salad! That’s just one ramification of a historic experiment in which scientists at the University of Florida used samples of lunar surface material, called regolith, to grow plants here on Earth. The scientists planted seeds of a plant related to mustard greens, in tiny samples of the regolith collected on three different Apollo missions a half century ago.
While the plants grew in a way that indicated they were stressed, they still found a way relatively quickly, with a little help from the team providing them with light, water, and nutrients. So, the astronauts will have to bring with them lots of water…since, as far as we know there’s none on the moon, and of course, a couple sacks of Miracle Grow or Milwaukee Milorganite! Of course, I guess, they could unzip their suits and offer the liquid and fertilizer that one dispenses everyday…but that’s probably not a good idea in the moon’s lack-of-oxygen atmosphere. Guys don’t forget to pack the Wishbone Salad Dressing!
For more info, check out this video:
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