Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

SoylentNews is powered by your submissions, so send in your scoop. Only 18 submissions in the queue.
posted by janrinok on Sunday October 09 2016, @06:53AM   Printer-friendly
from the wot-no-sprouts? dept.

To simulate a gardening experience on the Red Planet, researchers at NASA's Kennedy Space Center and the Florida Tech Buzz Aldrin Space Institute have begun to experiment with "Martian gardens," using soil from Hawaii similar to the type of soil found on Mars. Martian soil is made up of crushed volcanic rock and contains no organic material, making plant survival significantly more difficult.

To gauge how much soil should be used and which nutrients should be added, researchers grew lettuce in three different types of soil: virtual Martian soil with no nutrients added, virtual Martian soil with nutrients added, and regular potting soil. They reported that the lettuce grown in the Mars-like soil with no nutrients added tasted the same, but had weaker roots and took longer to grow.

Next, they plan to conduct similar experiments with radishes, Swiss chard, kale, Chinese cabbage, snow peas, dwarf peppers and tomatoes.

Potatoes, guys, potatoes.


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 2) by Pslytely Psycho on Sunday October 09 2016, @01:45PM

    by Pslytely Psycho (1218) on Sunday October 09 2016, @01:45PM (#412058)

    "do we just think the planet is ours to do with as we see fit?"

    Well, to play Devils Advocate here, no one else seems to of claimed it....
    And if we actually land humans on it, hell, even crash land humans on it, contamination becomes a certainty. Once that occurs, it will become a moot point.

    --
    Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.
    Starting Score:    1  point
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   2