Scientists from China claim to have discovered desert moss capable of withstanding Martian-like conditions. About this reported the The Guardian.
It is about Syntrichia caninervis moss, which grows in Antarctica and the Mojave Desert. According to scientists, it can withstand drought, high levels of radiation and extreme cold.
The team explains that their work is the first study of the survival of whole plants in such an environment, and also focuses on the potential of growing plants on the planet's surface rather than in greenhouses.
"The unique data obtained in our research lay the foundation for space colonization using naturally selected plants adapted to extreme stress conditions", - indicate the scientists.
In an article in the journal The Innovation, the researchers describe that the desert moss not only survived, but also quickly recovered after almost complete dehydration. It was also able to regenerate under normal growth conditions after spending up to five years at -80°C and up to 30 days at -196°C, as well as after exposure to gamma rays, with a dose of around 500 Gy even promoting new growth .
The team also created a facility with Martian-like pressure, temperature, gases and ultraviolet radiation. They found that the moss survived in this environment and was able to regenerate under normal growth conditions – even after seven days of exposure.
Specialists also noted that plants that were dried before such exposure felt better.
"Looking to the future, we expect that this promising moss can be delivered to Mars or the Moon to further test the possibility of colonization and plant growth in space," - scientists added.
Meanwhile, Dr. Agatha Zupanska of the SETI Institute believes that moss can help enrich and transform the rocky material found on the surface of Mars to enable the growth of other plants.
Professor Stuart McDaniel of the University of Florida finds this work interesting, but points to certain limitations. For example, research does not show that moss can reproduce and spread in the Martian environment.
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