Genetically Engineered Yeast Could Build the First Martian Outposts
If we are ever to have a permanent presence on Mars, we will have to learn to build there. Shipping the material from Earth to build something as simple as a pressurized habitat is prohibitively expensive, so we will have to make sure of the materials available on Mars’ surface. A research team led by Ning Liu at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology recently published a paper in…
If humanity ever hopes to establish a lasting presence on Mars, constructing there becomes an essential consideration. Transporting building materials from Earth is prohibitively expensive, so utilizing available resources on the Martian surface is imperative. A research team helmed by Ning Liu from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has recently proposed a novel approach, publishing their findings in Chem Circularity.
The method hinges on leveraging biology to generate structural materials traditionally associated with concrete. Among the potential benefits of this genetically engineered yeast-based construction material is its potential to reduce energy consumption by an order of magnitude and its potential recyclability. However, several challenges remain to be addressed before this method can be realistically applied for Martian construction.
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