Scientists in China claim to have discovered a kind of desert moss that thrives in a variety of conditions, from Antarctica to the Mojave desert — and which, they say, could survive on the surface of ...

A future civilization on Mars could be accompanied by one very special and resilient little plant. A type of moss found in the desert—named Syntrichia caninervis—may be able to survive and grow in the ...

The desert moss Syntrichia caninervis is a promising candidate for Mars colonization thanks to its extreme ability to tolerate harsh conditions lethal to most life forms. The moss is well known for ...

If we were ever to send humans to Mars for a long-term or permanent visit, then it’d be essential that we develop some sort of renewable food source. One idea would be planting vegetables in Martian ...

At first glance, Syntrichia caninervis looks like a dust bunny or a gray, low-lying shrub. But this humble moss is known for surviving harsh conditions that most plants find uninhabitable, like the ...

Imagine harvesting fresh vegetables and strawberries while gazing at the Moon’s barren surface or Mars’ red landscape. This futuristic scenario is becoming increasingly possible, thanks to ...

What plants would be most suitable for a future Mars settlement? This is what a recent study published in The Innovation hopes to address as a team of researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences ...

The future of plant life on Mars may be bioplastic. Green algae (Dunaliella tertiolecta) flourished under Mars-like conditions inside translucent, bioplastic habitats, researchers report July 2 in ...