Could Yeast Help Build 3D-Printed Habitats on Mars? Scientists Are Testing the Recipe
Researchers are testing a new construction method for Mars habitats using a mixture of Martian regolith, gelatin, and genetically engineered yeast. The material is 3D-printed and utilizes the planet's cold, low-pressure environment to harden into a structural shell.
Why it matters
Developing sustainable, in-situ construction methods is critical for the feasibility of long-term human colonization of Mars.
Bit by bit, humanity is inching towards finally setting foot on the Red Planet. Researchers have been working through the practical problems of living on Mars. How to get there. Where to find water. How to produce food. Then comes a problem that sounds almost mundane: once people arrive, what will they live in?
Any Martian settlement would initially lack the industrial infrastructure needed to make conventional construction materials. Hauling the raw materials for an entire settlement from Earth would consume precious rocket capacity. So any serious attempt at building there will probably have to use much of what is already there.
A new study proposes an unusual recipe for building habitats: mix Martian regolith with a binder made from gelatin and genetically engineered yeast, then extrude the mix through a 3D printer. Better yet, Mars itself might help finish the job.
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