A biotechnology startup says a new genetically modified microbe could one day help people and make it possible to settle Mars.
People living on Mars would not be able to rely on supplies from Earth, so they would need to use local resources for air, food, and building materials. The biggest goal is to eventually change Mars so it can support life as we know it.
Researchers at Pioneer Labs in Emeryville are developing a microbe that could be an important first step toward making Mars more suitable for life.
One big challenge with making Mars livable is that its surface is very harsh. While Mars has many of the raw materials needed for life, its soil contains toxins like perchlorates and salts that make it hard for most organisms to grow.
Previous plans for growing plants on Mars involved removing these toxins and bringing extra fertilizers from Earth. However, Pioneer Labs says these methods are not practical or efficient on a large scale.
In a new study, scientists took Earth microbes that can make bioplastics and gradually exposed them to increasingly Mars-like conditions.
The microbes have to grow in a bioreactor that is stirred and heated to protect it from extreme temperatures. DeBenedictis said: “The first time we tested growth of terrestrial microbes in Mars conditions, none of them grew! We had to keep going and test a lot more organisms before we realized we had just gotten unlucky the first time.”
The researchers also put limits in place to make sure their microbe cannot survive on Mars without help. These steps lower the risk of the microbe spreading and harming Mars, especially if there is any native life hidden underground or in water pockets.
McKee said: “I am excited about how these avenues of research could impact our dealing with climate change on Earth or extreme environment habitats.”
“We will be watching with anticipation when these microbes are finally launched to the Martian surface,” he continued.
