Desert algae are a promising candidate for colonizing Mars.

he desert moss Syntrichia caninervis arises as a A promising candidate for colonizing MarsThis is thanks to its remarkable ability to withstand extreme conditions that are fatal to most life forms. This finding was published on June 30 in the journal The Innovation, to shed light on this This moss can withstand temperatures up to -196 degrees CelsiusHigh levels of gamma radiation and simulated Martian conditions combine these pressures. In all cases, prior drought helped the plants adapt.

“Our study demonstrates that the ecological resilience of S. caninervis surpasses that of some highly stress-tolerant microorganisms and tardigrades,” wrote the researchers, including ecologists Daoyuan Zhang and Yuanming Zhang and botanist Tingyun Kuang of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. “S. caninervis is a promising candidate for a pioneer plant to colonize extraterrestrial environments, laying the foundation for building biologically sustainable human habitats beyond Earth.”

Syntrichia caninervis, a species of common algae with a wide global distribution, grows in harsh desert environments such as Tibet, Antarctica and the Polar Regions. This moss is part of the biological soil crust, a resistant covering common in arid lands. Given its potential, the researchers decided to test its limits in the laboratory Survival in harsh environmental conditions.

To test the algae’s ability to tolerate cold, the researchers stored the plants at -80 degrees Celsius for 3 and 5 years and at -196 degrees Celsius for 15 and 30 days. In all cases, Plants regenerate when they thaw, although their recovery was less rapid compared to dried but not freeze-dried control samples. Plants that are not dried before freezing recover more slowly than plants that are dried and then frozen.

Moss also showed the ability to do so. Survive gamma rays that would kill most plantsand doses of 500 Gy enhanced its growth. “Our results indicate that S. caninervis is one of the most radiation-tolerant organisms known,” the researchers wrote. By comparison, Humans suffer severe seizures and death. When exposed to about 50 gray.

The researchers tested the algae’s ability to do this withstand mars-like conditions Using the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Planetary Atmosphere Simulation Facility. Conditions included air consisting of 95% carbon dioxide, temperatures ranging from -60°C to 20°C, high levels of ultraviolet radiation, and low atmospheric pressure. The dried algae plants reached a 100% regeneration rate within 30 days after that. Subjected to these conditions for 1, 2, 3 and 7 days. Aquatic plants, which were subjected to the simulation for only one day, also survived, although they regenerated more slowly.

“Although there is still a long way to go to create self-sustaining habitats on other planets, we have demonstrated the great potential of S. caninervis as a pioneer plant for growth on Mars,” the researchers concluded. “We hope that this promising alga can be transported to Mars or the Moon to further test the possibility of plants colonizing and growing in outer space.”