How We’ll Grow Food on Mars Without Earth

Scientists are developing a closed-loop system to grow food on Mars using biology instead of Earth-supplied resources.

Cyanobacteria cultivated on Martian dust and atmospheric gases are processed via anaerobic fermentation into nutrient-rich fertilizer, enabling the growth of protein-dense duckweed.

The system also produces methane as a usable energy byproduct. This dual-output approach—food and fuel—points toward scalable, self-sufficient agriculture for long-duration missions and permanent settlements beyond Earth.

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