Scientists think beneficial fungi could help transform nutrient-poor lunar and Martian regolith into a material capable of supporting crops. By helping plants access nutrients and withstand harsh cond...

Cosmic Optics brings you the most fascinating and whimsical discoveries in space science. Dive into low-density super-puff worlds, deep space explorat

Scientists think beneficial fungi could help transform nutrient-poor lunar and Martian regolith into a material capable of supporting crops. By helping plants access nutrients and withstand harsh cond...

Build and automate a lunar colony that Earth depends on. Mine regolith, run conveyor-and-drone factories above and below the surface, manage colonists, trade with rival Earth factions — and play a…

For decades, the history of the Moon's magnetic field has been a point of contention. The central question is whether the Moon once possessed an internal dynamo-a molten core generating a global magnetic field-or if its magnetism is merely a remnant of debris ejected from Earth during ancient collisions. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have examined lunar regolith from the far side to find a physical record of these ancient processes. Using electron holography to create 3D microscopic images, the team analyzed impact glass-material forged by the instant melting of rock during meteorite strikes. Within this glass matrix, the physicists detected nanoscale particles of gamma-iron. Normally, this cubic atomic structure of iron is unstable, existing only at extreme temperatures before reverting to standard iron as it cools.

Build and automate a lunar colony that Earth depends on. Mine regolith, run conveyor-and-drone factories above and below the surface, manage colonists, trade with rival Earth factions — and play a…

A new ∼222-meter-diameter impact crater formed on the Moon in spring 2024. Discovered in repeat Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera images, it provides a unique opportunity to study surface modificati...

Build and automate a lunar colony that Earth depends on. Mine regolith, run conveyor-and-drone factories above and below the surface, manage colonists, trade with rival Earth factions — and play a…

The sample return capsule from NASA’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission is seen shortly after touching down in the desert, ...

Scientists think beneficial fungi could help transform nutrient-poor lunar and Martian regolith into a material capable of supporting crops. By helping plants access nutrients and withstand harsh conditions, these microbes could someday make self-sustaining space farming more realistic.

Scientists think beneficial fungi could help transform nutrient-poor lunar and Martian regolith into a material capable of supporting crops. By helping plants access nutrients and withstand harsh cond...

That vision may still be decades away, but researchers in the United States and Brazil are already examining whether fungi could make space agriculture more practical. In a review recently published in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, the team explored how beneficial fungi might help convert hostile lunar and Martian regolith into a more biologically suitable material for growing crops. Fungi Could Help Make Space Regolith Farmable Lunar and Martian regolith are poor environments for agriculture because they lack several nutrients that plants need to thrive. The researchers focused especially on shortages of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, along with ways those limitations might be overcome. Beneficial fungi could offer one possible solution. These organisms play an important role in nutrient cycling on Earth and can help plants, soils, and other organisms gain access to essential resources. The review examined fungal species that have already been shown to support plant growth by improving nutrient uptake, including under abiotic (non-living organism) stress. The researchers also considered fungi that have been used aboard the International Space Station. Extending a Plant's Root System Abiotic stress is particularly important for crops grown in nutrient poor materials such as lunar and Martian regolith. Plants would...

Build and automate a lunar colony that Earth depends on. Mine regolith, run conveyor-and-drone factories above and below the surface, manage colonists, trade with rival Earth factions — and play a…

ESA partnered with LEGO to make 3D-printed 'space bricks' that inspire next-gen space engineers.

Build and automate a lunar colony that Earth depends on. Mine regolith, run conveyor-and-drone factories above and below the surface, manage colonists, trade with rival Earth factions — and play a…

Today in the history of astronomy, the first robotically gathered lunar samples are returned to Earth.