• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
First-ever lunar farm proves we can successfully grow plants on the moon

Home> News

Published 20:23 1 Nov 2023 GMT

First-ever lunar farm proves we can successfully grow plants on the moon

Two new papers have revealed we can successfully grow plants on the moon

Callum Jones

Callum Jones

Ever since Neil Armstrong touched down on the moon back in 1969, scientists have been constantly working on learning new things about Earth's only natural satellite.

While it is hoped that people could be living on the moon within this decade, questions are now being raised over whether or not plants could also survive on the moon - and the findings have been unexpected.

It would be huge, considering the fact it means humans that choose to relocate to the moon would actually have food to eat.

Following four years of research, two new papers have suggested that plants may be able to survive in low gravity such as on the moon.

That is based on the only species out to sprout out of the four that were initially planted (one of the cotton seeds), though that itself is certainly still surprising for scientists and researchers.

Advert

When the robotic space mission Chang’e 4 landed on the moon in January 2019, it was carrying four plant species it sought to grow on the lunar surface.

Chang'e 4 has shown we can grow plants on the moon.
China National Space Administration (CNSA) via CNS / AFP) / China OUT (Photo by -/China National Space Administrat/AFP via Getty Images

While the best result is the sprouting of plants, a lot is actually learnt from whether crops grown on the moon are less productive or more fragile than those on Earth.

If that is the case, then scientists warned it could be a real big problem.

Advert

However, it should be worth noting these investigations are very much in their early days, and things may change over the coming years.

During the study, Chang’e 4 tested whether the moon's low gravity and high radiation would be a problem for plants, however these fears were quickly eased.

Plants growing on the moon? It could be possible soon.
Rami Alsayed/NurPhoto via Getty Images

It should definitely be worth mentioning though that Chang’e 4 did not grow the seeds in the lunar soil, but other experiments have shown it to be possible.

Advert

Nonetheless, the fact that this latest research proves we may be able to grow plants on the moon is hugely encouraging in the bid to get humans living over 384,000 km away.

"This experiment demonstrated that plants could grow on the lunar surface even in intense radiation, low gravity (1/6 g), and prolonged intense light," part of one of the studies read.

"It was also the first time that a biological experiment was carried out by humans on the Moon using sunlight from space to power photosynthesis."

Featured Image Credit: CNSA/CLEP / CNSA/Chongqing University

Topics: Science, Space

Callum Jones
Callum Jones

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

10 mins ago
20 mins ago
an hour ago
2 hours ago
  • 10 mins ago

    Woman hospitalized and ‘one step before liver failure’ after taking popular supplement

    The woman began to feel unwell despite the perceived health benefits

    News
  • 20 mins ago

    Aviation expert explains how fatal mistake could have happened in Air India crash after cause revealed

    An aviation consultant has given his expert opinion on the doomed Air India crash

    News
  • an hour ago

    Trump unleashes on ‘evil’ journalist after she asks question about Texas floods

    The Texas floods have killed at least 129 people, with at least 150 still missing

    News
  • 2 hours ago

    Chilling conversation pilots had seconds before Air India crash that killed 260

    A report has found how the aircraft was destroyed as well as the final moments before its collision with a medical college hostel

    News
  • Astronauts reveal why the 'most terrifying thing an astronaut can ever do' is coming back to Earth
  • Doorbell camera footage captures first-ever sound of a meteorite hitting Earth as it struck man's home
  • NASA issues disturbing update on 'city destroying' asteroid that could hit the moon in a matter of years
  • First ever vaping study reveals the horrifying effects it can actually have on your body