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Scientists grow plants in lunar dirt, next stop moon

In this 2021 photo provided by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Rob Ferl weighs lunar soil at a laboratory in Gainesville, Fla. The soil samples had been sealed in vials since the time of the Apollo 11, 12 and 17 missions to the moon, five decades ago. For the first time, scientists have used lunar soil collected by long-ago moonwalkers to grow plants, with results promising enough that NASA and others already are envisioning hothouses on the moon for the next generation of lunar explorers. (Tyler Jones/UF/IFAS via AP) In this 2021 photo provided by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Anna-Lisa Paul harvests thale cress plants in a lunar soil experiment for genetic analysis, at a laboratory in Gainesville, Fla. For the first time, scientists have used lunar soil collected by long-ago moonwalkers to grow plants, with results promising enough that NASA and others already are envisioning hothouses on the moon for the next generation of lunar explorers. (Tyler Jones/UF/IFAS via AP) This 2021 photo provided by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences shows the differences between thale cress plants grown in volcanic ash from Earth, which had a similar particle size and mineral composition to lunar soil, left, compared with those grown in the lunar soil, right, after 16 days, at a laboratory in Gainesville, Fla. For the first time, scientists have used lunar soil collected by long-ago moonwalkers to grow plants, with results promising enough that NASA and others already are envisioning hothouses on the moon for the next generation of lunar explorers. (Tyler Jones/UF/IFAS via AP) In this 2021 photo provided by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Anna-Lisa Paul, left, and Rob Ferl, work with lunar soils in their laboratory in Gainesville, Fla. For the first time, scientists have used lunar soil collected by long-ago moonwalkers to grow plants, with results promising enough that NASA and others already are envisioning hothouses on the moon for the next generation of lunar explorers. (Tyler Jones/UF/IFAS via AP) In this 2021 photo provided by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, a researcher places a thale cress plant grown during a lunar soil experiment in a vial for genetic analysis, at a laboratory in Gainesville, Fla. For the first time, scientists have used lunar soil collected by long-ago moonwalkers to grow plants, with results promising enough that NASA and others already are envisioning hothouses on the moon for the next generation of lunar explorers. (Tyler Jones/UF/IFAS via AP) In this 2021 photo provided by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, a researcher harvests a thale cress plant growing in lunar soil, at a laboratory in Gainesville, Fla. For the first time, scientists have used lunar soil collected by long-ago moonwalkers to grow plants, with results promising enough that NASA and others already are envisioning hothouses on the moon for the next generation of lunar explorers. (Tyler Jones/UF/IFAS via AP)