‘Space Brick’ Made Using Urea and Bacteria

Living on an extraterrestrial planet has been among humanity’s greatest dreams for hundreds or even thousands of years. When it comes to life on another planet, one of the first planets that comes to mind is the one that comes to mind just after us in the Solar System. Red Planet Mars is happening.

The first manned landing on Mars is planned within the next 10 years; however, the Red Planet, which is completely unknown to us except for the information from unmanned spacecraft, brings with it many questions. One of these questions is the people sent to Mars. where to live stands out as. A new study published in PLOS One answers this question quite well. extraordinary offers a solution.

‘Space brick’ produced with a special blend of urea, Martian soil and bacteria

Obviously, when we send humans to Mars, they’ll need places to live. A joint study by a research team from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and India’s space agency, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), is to construct Martian habitats. bacteria claims to be used. According to this new method, the “space bricks” needed to build a habitat on Mars are a compound that is excreted by mammals through urine and enables the removal of nitrogenous substances from the body. urealocal Martian soil and bacterium can be obtained with the mixture.

To make the bricks in question, the team; By combining simulated Martian soil made from urea, the chemical nickel chloride, and guar gum, a mixture achieved. It has been observed that any shape, such as brick, can be obtained by pouring the mortar formed by this blended mixture into molds. Accordingly, after a few days in the mold, the slurry becomes a solid ‘space brick’could turn into

well how’s that be possible? With the interaction of bacteria and urea in the mixture, it is usually taken as a dietary calcium supplement; but at the same time, crystals of calcium carbonate, a chemical compound that forms biological structures such as shellfish skeletons and egg shells, are formed and urea crystallizes in this way. The combination of these crystals with biopolymers, natural polymers produced by bacteria, creates particles of simulated Martian soil. a kind of cement that holds it together forming.

More testing is needed for this method to be used on Mars

of nickel chloride Realizing that it facilitated the growth of bacteria in the soil mixture in question, the team decided to add this compound to the mixture later on. In a statement on the subject “Martian soil is for organisms to toxicity It contains too much iron which causes Co-author Aloke Kumas, associate professor of mechanical engineering at IISc, said: “Initially our bacteria didn’t grow at all. Adding nickel chloride was the most important step in making the soil suitable for bacteria.” uses expressions.

With the new method, the team may have succeeded in making “space bricks”; But that success doesn’t change the fact that researchers still have a lot of testing to do before such a technique can be used on the Red Planet. Scientists believe the bricks are due to the Martian environment, particularly the planet’s very thin, mainly carbon dioxide atmosphere, and very little gravity to Earth. how will you react aims to research. Accordingly, the team put the bricks in question, Mars Atmosphere Simulator He plans to test it in a device called (MARS), in which researchers will recreate the Martian atmosphere in a controlled laboratory environment.

If it is a concern not included in the scope of the study protection of planets stands out as. Scientists need to ensure that spacecraft missions do not carry unwanted bacteria or other contaminants that could cloud scientific findings or harm planets. It is not yet known how such a method would work within the rather stringent planetary protection guidelines for Mars.