Plants on the moon may become a possibility as scientists grow terrestrial plants in lunar soil

The first steps toward growing plants on the moon have been taken as scientists were able to successfully grow terrestrial plants in lunar soil.

In a new paper published in the journal “Communications Biology,” University of Florida researchers showed that plants can successfully sprout and grow in lunar soil. Their study also investigated how plants respond biologically to the moon’s soil, also known as lunar regolith, which is radically different from soil found on Earth.

This accomplishment is the first of its kind in human history and it helps pave the way toward one day being able to grow plants for food or oxygen on the moon during space missions.