Summary
The podcast episode is about the possibility of growing plants on other planets, specifically the moon and Mars. The hosts introduce two experts, Annalisa Paul and Robert Ferl, who specialize in biotechnology and horticultural studies. They discuss the challenges of growing plants in the "regolith" (moon soil) and the importance of in-situ resource utilization. The experts explain the importance of plants for long-term space missions, including recycling air and water and providing food. NASA has a branch called In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) that specializes in using resources already available on other planets. The Florida Space Plants Lab, where Annalisa Paul works, studies the effects of space on plants and how they can be used for long-term space missions.
The experts use a model plant called Arabidopsis thaliana, which is small and completely sequenced. The goal of the experiments is to understand how plants respond at the molecular level to the novel environment of space flight and to test what kind of things can be learned about plants in such environments. The podcast also touches on the challenges of growing plants in space, such as protecting them from solar wind and cosmic rays, and the potential for developing plants that taste like pizza or Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
The conversation also discusses the differences in soil samples from different areas and how they affect plant growth. The speakers discuss the potential for using hydroponics and LED lights and the importance of water management in zero gravity. They also mention NASA's efforts to address the issue of sustaining animal life in space and the potential for using fungi as part of a life support system.
Towards the end of the podcast, the hosts discuss the feasibility of using human feces as fertilizer to grow potatoes on Mars, as depicted in the movie "The Martian". They also joke about who would play them in the sequel to the movie. The conversation ends with a discussion about how the research on growing plants in difficult extraterrestrial environments could have applications for improving food production on Earth.
Overall, the podcast episode is informative and humorous, with the speakers sharing interesting facts and opinions on the topic of growing plants in space.
