Scientists at the Queensland University of Technology in Australia want to send seeds to the Moon to build a future colony on the star.
A group of Australian scientists wants to grow plants on the Moon by 2025 in a mission unveiled Friday that they say can pave the way for a future colony.
Biologist Brett Williams of the Queensland University of Technology explained that the seeds will travel on the Beresheet 2 spacecraft , a private Israeli mission.
Once the spacecraft lands, the seeds will be irrigated in a sealed chamber, where scientists will be able to follow signs of germination and growth .
A project with colonizing aspirations on the Moon
Williams explained that they will choose the plants based on their resistance to extreme conditions and their speed of germination.
"The project is an early step toward growing plants for food, medicine, and oxygen production, crucial for establishing human life on the Moon ," the scientists said in a statement .
Caitlin Byrt , a research associate couple t shirts at the Australian National University in Canberra , said the research could also be relevant to food safety fears caused by climate change.
"If you can create a system to grow plants on the Moon , then you can create a system to grow food in some of the harshest environments on Earth , " he explained in a statement.
The project is managed by Lunaria One , which involves scientists from Australia and Israel .
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