Bengaluru soil bacteria could help build bricks on Mars: Study
The possibility of human settlement on Mars has been a topic of interest for scientists and space agencies around the world. However, one of the major challenges in establishing a human settlement on the red planet is the lack of infrastructure and construction materials. Transporting construction materials from Earth to Mars is a costly and logistically challenging endeavor. But what if we could use the Martian soil itself to build structures? A recent study by researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata, and ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla has found that a soil bacterium discovered in Bengaluru could hold the key to building bricks on Mars.
The study, published in the journal PLOS One, explores the possibility of using microbes to bind Martian soil into strong bricks, reducing the need to transport construction materials from Earth. The research team discovered that a particular type of soil bacterium, found in the soil of Bengaluru, can produce a type of cement-like substance that can bind the Martian soil together, creating a strong and durable brick.
The Martian soil, also known as regolith, is a complex mixture of minerals, rocks, and dust. It lacks the necessary binding agents to hold itself together, making it difficult to use as a construction material. However, the researchers found that the soil bacterium, when added to the Martian soil, can produce a type of biocement that can bind the soil particles together, creating a strong and stable brick.
The biocement is produced through a process called microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP), where the bacteria produce calcium carbonate, which acts as a binding agent, holding the soil particles together. The researchers found that the bricks produced using this method had a compressive strength of up to 10 MPa, which is comparable to that of conventional bricks used on Earth.
The use of microbes to bind Martian soil into bricks has several advantages. Firstly, it reduces the need to transport construction materials from Earth, which is a costly and logistically challenging endeavor. Secondly, it uses the Martian soil itself, which is abundant and readily available. Thirdly, the biocement produced by the bacteria is a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional cement.
The study has significant implications for future human missions to Mars. The ability to build structures using Martian soil and microbes could provide a sustainable and reliable source of construction materials, reducing the need for resupply missions from Earth. It could also enable the establishment of permanent human settlements on Mars, which is a key goal of NASA’s Artemis program and other space agencies around the world.
The research team, led by Shubhanshu Shukla, an ISRO astronaut, and including scientists from IISc and IISER Kolkata, used a combination of laboratory experiments and computational simulations to study the properties of the Martian soil and the biocement produced by the bacteria. They also used advanced imaging techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray computed tomography (CT), to study the microstructure of the bricks produced using this method.
The study is a significant breakthrough in the field of astrobiology and has the potential to pave the way for future human missions to Mars. The use of microbes to bind Martian soil into bricks is a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution that could provide a reliable source of construction materials for future missions.
In conclusion, the discovery of a soil bacterium in Bengaluru that can help build bricks on Mars is a significant breakthrough in the field of astrobiology. The use of microbes to bind Martian soil into bricks has the potential to provide a sustainable and reliable source of construction materials for future human missions to Mars. The study highlights the importance of interdisciplinary research and collaboration between scientists and engineers from different fields to solve the complex challenges of space exploration.
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