(ORDO NEWS) — Australian scientists will try to grow plants on the moon by 2025 as part of a new mission unveiled on Friday. The mission could help pave the way for a future lunar colony, the researchers say.
Biologist Brett Williams of the Queensland University of Technology said the seeds will be brought to the moon by Israel‘s private Beresheet 2 mission.
Plants will be selected based on how well they adapt to extreme conditions and how fast they germinate.
“The project is the first step towards growing plants for food, medicine and oxygen, which are critical to human life on the Moon,” the researchers said in a statement.
Caitlin Birt, Associate Professor at the Australian National University in Canberra, said the study was also relevant to food security concerns caused by climate change.
“If you can build a system to grow plants on the Moon, then you can build a system to grow food in some of the toughest environments on Earth,” Birt said in a statement.
The project, which involves scientists from Australia and Israel, is led by Lunaria One.
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