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Growing Plants on the Moon May Be Feasible
Smivs writes "European scientists say that
growing plants on the moon
should be possible. Scientists in the Netherlands believe growing plants on our sister satellite would be useful as a tool to learn how life adapts to lunar conditions. It would also aid in understanding the challenges that might be faced by manned bases. 'The new step, taken in the experiments reported at the EGU, is to remove the need for bringing nutrients and soil from Earth. A team led by Natasha Kozyrovska and Iryna Zaetz from the National Academy of Sciences in Kiev planted marigolds in crushed anorthosite, a type of rock found on Earth which is very similar to much of the lunar surface. In neat anorthosite, the plants fared very badly. But adding different types of bacteria made them thrive; the bacteria appeared to draw elements from the rock that the plants needed, such as potassium.'"
sister satellite
I don't think that means what the article writer intended it to mean...
can't sleep slashdot will eat me
Did you just say that the moon is a harsh mistress?
I'm waiting for a "-1 somepeoplejustshouldn'tgetmodprivileges" meta-moderation.
But that would involve *going* to the moon which anyone with a brain knows is impossible.
Of COURSE they used marigolds.
Now they need to study the effect of gamma rays on these plants.
Cheech: "Sounds like the perfect place to grow some reefer, man."
Chong: "Like wow man, the pigs would never think to look on the moon, man."
So you are one of those nutcases that don't believe that we actually landed on moon? Only people with severe psychological disorders believe that crap.
Wait.. why do you have my nick?
Look, if anyone knows anything about growing plants under unfavorable conditions (soil if not legal), it would be the Dutch. Looking forward to new strains like "Even More Northern Lights", "Earthly Glow", ...
had to be said too.
An old-timer with old-timey ideas.
It'll grow anywhere. It don't need no stinkin' air. The Moon will be completely covered in 3 to 5 years.
Hmmm. Planting earthworms on the Moon... Moon Worms... After countless years, they will evolve better resistance to low pressure to a point where it can survive in a vaccume, resistant to full radiation from the sun, and collect all the materials it needs O2 and Water from the ground. Flurisning in this environment it will soon learn to use some of the excess gasses it digegest as a form or propulation, grow larger and larger until it reaches huge sizes where in order for them to survive they must eat moons and planets and fly to other systems in hibernation. To feed on other solar systems... Man you guys just doomed the galixy.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
...that's all I'm saying...
Moon Weed!
I'm too much of a nerd, immediately thinking that "Hey, human flesh doesn't actually have enough nutrients in it that plants need in their current form. They'd have to kill us, then plant themselves in us and get the nutrients from us as we decompose"
Brings new meaning to 'astroterf'.
We're all hypocrites. We all have hidden parts, it's the contrast between them that make us more a hypocrite than others
So I guess that moon weed is some good stuff huh?
"It's all just meme meme around here"
*laugh* Oh, those wacky Dutch. Trying to start a grow-op on the moon.
I for one welcome our new lunar based, wooden shod, pot growing overlords, and anticipate the weed that is truly out of this world.
I think that's a good sign for lunar exploration -- brothels and legalized drugs will make space attractive for much more of the population.
Cheers
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
First they make Moon Pies...now agriculture jobs are going there too.
I'm glad I wasn't the test subject on that one!
It's left blank because I have nothing to say to you punks!
What about just harvesting the cheese?
Kwisatz Haderach
Sell the spice to CHOAM
This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
Space suit bong.
"I have ridden the mighty moon worm!"
-- Al Gore, Inventor of the Environment, First Emperor of the Moon
Your ad here. Ask me how!
Unless the bacteria eat gravity.
So all we have to do is build an airtight dome around the plants and maintain the right type of atmosphere inside it? Thank god we don't have to do anything difficult like bring dirt!
Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
that becomes an essential tool for our colonization of black holes (next month's issue).
The Admin and the Engineer