We ’ve all discover the movieThe Martian , correct ? If it was n’t Matt Damon himself who sustain you in the movie - dramatics door , it was the estimation that his character , Mark Watney , set up an amazing system of growing Irish potato on Mars so that he could pull round live alone , deserted , on the Red Planet . The nurseryman in all of us was captivated . But if you , like my engineer fiancé , thought this was the stuff of fiction , well , I ’ve got news for you .
This week , Dr. Weiger Wamelink , senior ecologist at Wageningen University & Research in The Netherlands , present his groundbreaking ceremony inquiry that give us hope that food can actually be develop on Mars .
Now , if you knowanythingabout Mars , it ’s that it ’s anything but contributing to farming . It ’s inhuman — like really cold . There ’s little to no air . And the soil is reveal to cosmic radiation , meaning it contain gamy levels of heavy metals , like iron , cadmium , chrome and lead . And you thought originate tomatoes on your farm was challenge .
Well , as Wamelink has now told the macrocosm , he has succeeded in grow tomatoes using a Mars territory simulant . And radishes , peas , green beans and potatoes , too . In fact , he ’s spring up a total of 14 dissimilar crops using this unlikely growing culture medium .
“ I had very low expectation of the Martian soil,”Wamelink say in a presentation to Mars One , the nonprofit that plans to send one - way crews to Mars for permanent settlement starting in 2026 .
Much to his surprise , the crops not only germinated , but many of them produced flowers , seeds and fruit .
The crops were grown inside a glasshouse similar to what would be erected on Mars , and irrigated with water ( because urine is available on Mars in the form of icing ) . Because no pollinator exist on Mars , Wamelink and his team helping hand - pollenate the crops , though he thinks there ’s possibility for bumblebees to be embark to space . ( The bees go through a hibernation full point ; thus , they would sleep during the major planet hop , and then wake up refreshed to get to work . This is his theory at least . )
The bulk of his inquiry in 2016 will be on testing these successfully grown vegetables for their food rubber – i.e. , making sure there are no high heavy - metal point that could make someone sick . So far , tomatoes , radishes , peas and rye whisky are hold A - OK.If all proceed well for the rest , which he seems optimistic about , a group of VIPs will shortly get to feast on the fruit of his undertaking .
While Wamelink say the current research has only been on annual food crops , he require to eventually add fruit andnut trees , strawberries , and lupin ( a high - protein bean that could be used as a meat refilling ) to the mix .
But why even bother growing food on Mars , you ask ? Well , because Martians like it local , too ! ( And most fruits and veg are n’t going to last the six - month merchant marine time . )
To keep tabs on Wamelink and his on-going enquiry , watch him onFacebookandTwitter .
