NASA wants to grow potatoes on Mars
The project also aims to highlight the role of potatoes in improving global food security
Scientists are conducting an experiment that will bring them a step closer to growing potatoes on Mars.
Hoping to eventually build a controlled dome on Mars, which will be capable of farming the ancient crop, NASA and the Peru-based International Potato Centre (CIP) will initially start cultivating potatoes in Mars-like conditions on Earth.
The team will reproduce Martian atmospheric conditions in a laboratory, using soil from Pampas de La Joya desert in Peru, which is almost identical to that found on Mars.
Evidence of flowing liquid water on Mars: NASA
In a press release, CIP explained: “The increased levels of carbon dioxide will benefit the crop, whose yield is two to four times that of a regular grain crop under normal Earth conditions. The Martian atmosphere is near 95 per cent carbon dioxide."
If the experiment is successful, CIP and NASA could pioneer space farming for future manned missions to not just Mars, but other planets and moons in the solar system.
Chris McKay, planetary scientist of the NASA Ames research center said, "The extraordinary efforts of the team have set the bar for extraterrestrial farming. The idea of growing food for human colonies in space could be a reality soon."
Want to send your name to Mars? Look no further
The project also aims to highlight the role of potatoes in improving global food security.
"How better to learn about climate change than by growing crops on a planet that died two billion years ago?" said Joel Ranck, CIP's head of communications.
"We need people to understand that if we can grow potatoes in extreme conditions like those on Mars, we can save lives on Earth."
Agronomists have long been in favour of potato farming in regions with malnutrition, poverty and pasture shortage due to its high nutrient levels and the ability to grow in challenging conditions.
This article originally appeared on CNBC
Hoping to eventually build a controlled dome on Mars, which will be capable of farming the ancient crop, NASA and the Peru-based International Potato Centre (CIP) will initially start cultivating potatoes in Mars-like conditions on Earth.
The team will reproduce Martian atmospheric conditions in a laboratory, using soil from Pampas de La Joya desert in Peru, which is almost identical to that found on Mars.
Evidence of flowing liquid water on Mars: NASA
In a press release, CIP explained: “The increased levels of carbon dioxide will benefit the crop, whose yield is two to four times that of a regular grain crop under normal Earth conditions. The Martian atmosphere is near 95 per cent carbon dioxide."
If the experiment is successful, CIP and NASA could pioneer space farming for future manned missions to not just Mars, but other planets and moons in the solar system.
Chris McKay, planetary scientist of the NASA Ames research center said, "The extraordinary efforts of the team have set the bar for extraterrestrial farming. The idea of growing food for human colonies in space could be a reality soon."
Want to send your name to Mars? Look no further
The project also aims to highlight the role of potatoes in improving global food security.
"How better to learn about climate change than by growing crops on a planet that died two billion years ago?" said Joel Ranck, CIP's head of communications.
"We need people to understand that if we can grow potatoes in extreme conditions like those on Mars, we can save lives on Earth."
Agronomists have long been in favour of potato farming in regions with malnutrition, poverty and pasture shortage due to its high nutrient levels and the ability to grow in challenging conditions.
This article originally appeared on CNBC