News Planetary Science

Astronauts might be able to use asteroid soil to grow crops

Lettuce, chili pepper and radish plants grew in mixtures of faux asteroid dirt and peat moss

a black container of dark faux asteroid soil and peat moss, held by a man wearing a gray shirt and jeans. There is a tiny chili pepper seedling poking through the dirt

Astrobiologist Steven Russell holds a container of faux asteroid soil and peat moss, with a chili pepper seedling peeking through.

Mike Hess/UND Today

By Liz Kruesi

Astronauts might one day dine on salad grown in asteroid soil.

Romaine lettuce, chili pepper and pink radish plants all grew in mixtures of peat moss and faux asteroid soil, researchers report in the July Planetary Science Journal.