'Holy cow': scientists successfully grow plants in moon soil for the first time

[Judi Lynn]

Researchers at the University of Florida planted thale cress in harsh lunar dirt returned by Apollo 11 astronauts

Associated Press
Thu 12 May 2022 18.00 EDT

For the first time, scientists have grown plants in soil from the moon collected by Nasa’s Apollo astronauts.

Researchers had no idea if anything would sprout in the harsh moon dirt and wanted to see if it could be used to grow food by a new generation of lunar explorers. The results stunned them.

“Holy cow. Plants actually grow in lunar stuff. Are you kidding me?” said Robert Ferl of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

Ferl and his colleagues planted thale cress in moon soil returned by Apollo 11’s Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, and other moonwalkers years ago and the seeds sprouted.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/may/12/scientists-grow-plants-moon-soil-first-time

[PoliticAverse]

1. Are they making any progress growing plants without oxygen yet?

[Mister Ed]

2. Carbon dioxide would be much more to the plants' liking. n/t

[JohnSJ]

4. yes, and plants would actually produce oxygen through photosynthesis

[Duppers]

3. Ohmygoodness!!!

Had not read this...it's just AMAZING!

I flashed back to the movie Martian with Matt Damon.

Thank you, Judi!

[Judi Lynn]

5. Thanks for the reminder of that film, Duppers. It was well done, for sure. ⭐️

Potatoes!

/

[Duppers]

6. 😂 Love that last pic!

Thanks again.