|
Written by Gerry Pugliese
|
Oh, this makes sense. If the moon is made out of cow fudge, we certainly need something to dip into that intergalactic blue cheese. Scientists, clearly taking a break from curing cancer, have developed a way to grow vegetables on the moon.
Mega-brains at the University of Arizona Controlled Environment Agriculture Center believe they can grow vegetables for a proposed lunar base using a tubular hydroponic system; stuff like peanuts, tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes.
An 18-foot tube, which can be collapsed to a four-foot wide disk for easy travel, is equipped with water-cooled sodium vapor lamps, and can be loaded with seeds. Then these tubes would be buried under the moon's surface to shield them from solar flares, micrometeorites, and cosmic rays. Protect me Duck Dodgers, help!
The scientists are still working out the kinks, but the future version of the tubular system may also include a remote control that would allow technicians on Earth to intervene with the growing process and gather data.
Makes you wonder. How would you set up organic regulation on the moon? “Sorry farmer McMartian, your crops contain space slugs. Space slugs may be contaminated with interstellar dust, thus rendering your space carrots GMOs. Galacticly modified organisms.”
I don't know if we need this. Science fiction plants already grow here on earth, like these alien-looking succulents. And did you know scientists now think pickles could save the environment? You're now entering the twilight zone.
Image credit morganglines |
ORGANIC AUTHORITY TV
