Australia wants to grow plants on the moon by 2025

Australian scientists want to try growing plants on the moon by 2025 as part of a new mission published on Friday with the aim of creating a colony. “This project is the first step toward growing plants for food, medicine and oxygen production, all of which are critical to establishing human life on the moon.”The researchers said in a report.

Brett Williams, a plant biologist at the Queensland University of Technology, said the seeds would be carried by Israel’s private space probe, the Beresheet 2 spacecraft. Once in the ground, the seeds are placed in a sealed chamber and scientists watch for signs of germination. Plant varieties are selected not only for their ability to withstand extreme climatic conditions but also for their germination speed.

In addition to creating the beginnings of human life on the moon, the mission will also serve as a laboratory to address food security issues caused by global warming, says Australian National University Professor Caitlin Byrd. “If you can build a system to grow plants on the moon, you can build a system to grow food in some of the harshest environments on Earth.”, he said in a statement. The project is led by the Lunaria One organization, which includes Australian and Israeli scientists.