Imagine growing plants on the Moon! 🌝 Well, scientists in Hungary are making that dream a step closer to reality. They’ve successfully grown mustard plants in soil that mimics the lunar surface! 🌱
At the Hungarian University of Agriculture, a team of researchers spent six weeks cultivating plants in special soil that’s just like what’s found on the Moon. But here’s the tricky part: lunar soil doesn’t have the nutrients plants need. 🪨❌🌿
“The lunar soil has no organic compounds to feed the plant,” explained György Barkó, a senior researcher. “So we had to develop a technology to support plant growth sustainably.” 💡🔬
Instead of just trying lots of seeds and hoping for the best, the Hungarian team is working on making a sustainable way to grow plants. They’re using helpful bacteria and the right nutrients to create a good environment for the plants. 🦠🌾
They hope to grow lettuce, beans, and even small fruit plants in the future—kind of like how farming started thousands of years ago in ancient Mesopotamia! 🌽🍓
But there’s another big challenge: water. 💧 The Moon doesn’t have much of it, and bringing water from Earth is super expensive. So, the scientists are looking for ways to make water using minerals found on the Moon. They might even use special chemical reactions that produce water when heated! 🔥💧
“Electricity and energy is everything,” Barkó said. “If you have energy, you can generate water from different kinds of minerals.” ⚡💡
Right now, they’re waiting to see if the mustard plants they’ve grown are safe to eat. If they are, this could be a huge step toward humans living and farming on the Moon! 🌕👩🚀
Isn’t it exciting to think that one day we might have gardens on the Moon? Maybe you’ll be the next space farmer! 🚀🌟
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
