A desert moss could be the key to terraforming Mars, according to a recent study published by Chinese scientists.
The scientists subjected whole S. caninervis plants to conditions typically found on Mars: high doses of gamma radiation, low oxygen, extreme cold and drought. They report that the plants could withstand combinations of these conditions, even losing over 98% of their water content and still bouncing back within seconds —"drying without dying” is the term that was used.
Under stress, S. caninervis enters a state of"selective metabolic dormancy," strategically preserving key metabolites — products of cellular metabolic pathways — needed for its speedy resurrection."For example, S. caninervis plants maintain high levels of sucrose and maltose following stress; these sugars serve as osmotic agents and protectants that help preserve and stabilize cellular architecture," wrote the scientists.
These findings, the scientists continue, lay the groundwork for building sustainable human habitats beyond Earth. Whether this statement is an exaggeration will depend on future experimentation — and may not even be achievable within our lifetime — but one important element missing from the discussion is not the feasibility of the science but the ethics behind it.This concept of terraforming another planet is not a new one and has its roots in science fiction.
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