Australian scientists will try to grow plants on the moon by 2025 as part of a new mission unveiled
Biologist Brett Williams of the Queensland University of Technology told Agence France-Presse that the seeds would be deliveredspacecraft Beresheet 2.This is a private Israeli lunar mission.After landing, they will beWater inside an airtight chamber and watch for signs of germination and growth.
По словам Уильямса, растения выберут на основе how well they cope with extreme conditions and how quickly they germinate. One likely option is the Australian “resurrection grass,” which can survive without water in a dormant state. We are talking about Tripogon loliiformis. It is so called because it “plays dead” during times of drought and selectively culls its own cells to survive.
“The project is the first step towardsgrowing plants for the production of food, medicine and oxygen. They are crucial for establishing a human colony on the Moon,” the researchers said in a statement.
Caitlin Birt, an associate professor at the Australian National University in Canberra, said the study would come in handy on climate change-driven food security.
“If you can build a system to grow plants on the Moon, then it could be useful for growing food in some of the toughest environments on Earth,” Birt said in a statement.
The project is run by the organization Lunaria One, which involves scientists from Australia and Israel.
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