A future civilization on Mars may well produce some very special and resilient little plants.
A type of moss that lives in the desert Syntrichia caninervisA new paper published in the journal Nature suggests that it may be able to survive and thrive in the harsh environment of Mars. Innovation.
This moss can grow in sub-zero temperatures of -320.8 degrees Fahrenheit and can withstand levels of gamma radiation that would kill most other plants and life forms.
The plant can survive incredibly dry conditions as well as a combination of dryness, intense radiation and cold weather that simulates conditions on Mars.
“Our research is S. Caninervis “This outperforms some highly stress-tolerant microbes and tardigrades,” the researchers wrote in their paper.S. Caninervis “It is a promising pioneer plant candidate for colonizing extraterrestrial environments and lays the foundation for building biologically sustainable human habitats outside of Earth.”
ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS / The Innovation, Li et al. 2024
Mars has a thin atmosphere composed primarily of carbon dioxide, with small amounts of nitrogen and argon, and traces of oxygen and water vapor, and a variety of conditions that make human exploration and habitation difficult. Mars’ atmospheric pressure is less than 1% of Earth’s, averaging about 6 millibars, compared to Earth’s 1,013 millibars at sea level. Additionally, the average surface temperature is about -80 degrees F, but ranges from about -195 degrees F in polar winters to 70 degrees F in equatorial summers.
Additionally, water on Mars exists primarily as ice, with the polar ice caps consisting of water and dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide). Also, because Mars does not have a global magnetic field like Earth, everything on the Martian surface is exposed to high levels of cosmic radiation, posing significant risks to human explorers and anything growing in Martian soil.
This is the first time that an entire plant has been tested for its ability to survive in space or on another planet. Syntrichia caninervis It has been found growing in harsh environments all over the world, from Tibet to Antarctica, making it a perfect candidate for testing under Martian conditions.
In the paper, the researchers describe how they preserved the moss at -112 degrees Fahrenheit for three to five years, and at -320 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 and 30 days. After thawing, they found that the plants were able to regrow and grow, and they also found that dehydrating the moss before freezing sped up recovery.
![Mars Moss](https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/2419147/mars-moss.jpg?w=1200&f=18d19c8b46d182ee194a3c6867edd86b)
Innovation, Li et al. 2024
They also tested plants under different radiation doses and found that they could survive and even thrive up to levels of 500 Gray (Gy)—by comparison, humans typically die at 500 Gy. After exposure to approximately 8 Gy.
“The results of our study are S. Caninervis “It is one of the most radioresistant organisms known,” the researchers wrote in their paper.
The researchers combined all of the Martian environmental factors, exposing the plants to temperatures ranging from -76 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit, low air pressure, air containing 95 percent carbon dioxide, and high levels of ultraviolet light. They found that if the moss was dried beforehand, it recovered 100 percent within 30 days of exposure, while moist plants also recovered, but at a much slower rate.
“S. caninervis is a promising candidate for promoting terrestrial vegetation.
Formation of activity on Mars and other planets. This is because S. caninervis
Not only are they terrestrial plants with an extremely diverse range of stress tolerances,
Acting as pioneer species and as a basis for establishment and maintenance
Oxygen production, carbon sequestration,
“and increase soil fertility,” the researchers write. “Thus, S. caninervis may promote the creation of new habitats suitable for long-term human habitation, while also enhancing atmospheric, geological, and ecosystem processes necessary for other higher plants and animals.”
They continued: “We are still a long way from creating self-sufficient habitats on other planets, but we S. Caninervis “We expect this moss to be a pioneering plant that can grow on Mars. In the future, we hope to bring this promising moss to Mars or the Moon to further test the possibility of plant establishment and growth in space.”
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