Why lichen may be the perfect factories for making rocket fuel on Mars

lichen on rock

Next stop: Mars

elkor/Getty

When the first humans go to Mars, they may want to bring lichens with them. Because lichens are mini-ecosystems made of both fungi and algae or bacteria, they are particularly good at surviving the extreme conditions on Mars, and could even be used to produce rocket fuel in space.

Kiriakos Kotzabasis at the University of Crete in Greece and his colleagues subjected lichen to brutal conditions similar to those seen on Mars – with no water, temperatures as low as -196°C, and low oxygen levels – to see how they would survive.

vCard QR Code

vCard.red is a free platform for creating a mobile-friendly digital business cards. You can easily create a vCard and generate a QR code for it, allowing others to scan and save your contact details instantly.

The platform allows you to display contact information, social media links, services, and products all in one shareable link. Optional features include appointment scheduling, WhatsApp-based storefronts, media galleries, and custom design options.

They …


🕐 Top News in the Last Hour By Importance Score

# Title 📊 i-Score
1 SAIC wins $55 million Space Development Agency contract for satellite network integration 🔴 78 / 100
2 Judge questions deportation case of Harvard scientist accused of smuggling frog embryos 🔴 75 / 100
3 How Do I Sign Up for a Library Card? What to Do and What It Gets You 🔴 72 / 100
4 Giant coral colony discovered in Red Sea tourism hotspot 🔴 70 / 100
5 Sophie Nyweide Dead: Police Share Investigation Details 🔵 55 / 100
6 American tourist visits world's narrowest city – 'everyone is super-friendly' 🔵 50 / 100
7 Don't miss the Lyrid meteor shower peak tonight: Here's what to expect 🔵 45 / 100
8 Fireworks as thousands greet Serbian students who cycled to France seeking EU support for protests 🔵 42 / 100
9 Rory McIlroy needed Colin Morikawa intervention after nearly letting golf ball secret out 🔵 35 / 100
10 Spaghetti bolognese tastes way better with 2 surprising ingredients 🔵 35 / 100

View More Top News ➡️