Under Your Feet

54

CAN PLANTS

GROW ON MARS?

Humans may one day garden on Mars. The soil has

the nutrients needed by plants, with toxins that could

be removed. However, Mars has no liquid water, so

this would need to be produced for the plants. The plants

would also need protecting from harmful conditions.

Sort-of soil

Martian soil is very similar

to moon dust. Neither

contains living things to

create spaces, which make

soil suitable for plants.

Martian rocks

Long ago it rained on Mars. The

water froze in cracks on the rocky

surface. The ice expanded and broke

off tiny fragments of rock. These are

still part of the soil today.

The rover will

drill down to look

for microorganisms

in the soil.

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054-055_Soil_of_mars.indd 54 31/10/2019 14:05