Scientists have identified a super resilient desert moss species in China’s western region of Xinjiang that could help sustain possible colonies on Mars, a study by the Chinese Academy of Sciences showed.
When subjected to conditions that simulate the environment on Mars, the moss – Syntrichia Caninervis – was found to be able to withstand extreme dryness, ultra-low temperatures and radiation
China is a propaganda machine, so we may have to take this groundbreaking announcement with a pinch of salt. However, should this super moss really exist, inhabitation on Mars may not be an elusive reality.
As an ex-Science teacher, I taught my impressionable 9-year-olds about how mosses are non-flowering plants and reproduce through spores. This news would be something that will capture their imagination!