BEIJING (Reuters) – Scientists have identified a species of super-hardy desert moss in China’s western Xinjiang region that could help support potential colonies on Mars, a study by the Chinese Academy of Sciences showed.
When subjected to conditions simulating the environment on Mars, the moss (Syntrichia Caninervis) was found to be able to withstand extreme dryness, ultra-low temperatures and radiation, the academy said in a research paper published in the journal The Innovation last week.
Moss could serve as a “basis for ecosystem establishment and maintenance by contributing to oxygen production, carbon sequestration and soil fertility,” the researchers said in the study, published July 1.
“It may help drive atmospheric, geological and ecological processes necessary for other higher plants and animals, while facilitating the creation of new habitable environments conducive to long-term human settlement,” the document adds.
In the research, scientists found that even after losing more than 98% of its cellular water content, the moss was able to regain photosynthetic and physiological activities within seconds of being hydrated.
When intact, the plant can also tolerate ultra-low temperatures and regenerate after being stored in a freezer at minus 80 degrees Celsius (minus 112 Fahrenheit) for five years or in liquid nitrogen for a month.
The moss is found in Xinjiang, Tibet, a California desert, the Middle East, and polar regions.
The race to make a bigger footprint in space has prompted China and the United States to launch exploration plans in recent years.
Chinese missions include the launch of the Tianwen-2 near-Earth asteroid probe next year and Tianwen-3 around 2030 to bring back samples from Mars. Last month, China retrieved samples from the far side of the moon.
In the United States, NASA has formulated a 20-year plan for Mars, seeking answers to whether the red planet is habitable for humans.
(Reporting by Liz Lee and Ryan Woo; editing by Miral Fahmy)