Scientists in China claim to have discovered a kind of desert moss that thrives in a variety of conditions, from Antarctica to the Mojave desert — and which, they say, could survive on the surface of ...

A future civilization on Mars could be accompanied by one very special and resilient little plant. A type of moss found in the desert—named Syntrichia caninervis—may be able to survive and grow in the ...

At first glance, Syntrichia caninervis looks like a dust bunny or a gray, low-lying shrub. But this humble moss is known for surviving harsh conditions that most plants find uninhabitable, like the ...

Of the many challenges involved in sending humans on the journey to Mars, figuring out how to pack enough food for such a lengthy trip looms large. Of course, astronauts will need food on their way to ...

If you haven't been to see the life-sized model of the Mars rover and helicopter at Clark Planetarium yet, you need to go! The exhibit is on display in the lobby, but will only be there until November ...

Researchers at Purdue spent years working with NASA engineers to figure out how to grow crops on Mars and beyond. Now the ...

What will it take to sustain humans on Mars? The answer is self-sufficiency far away from Earth's protective harbor. Utah State University scientists Bruce Bugbee and Lance Seefeldt were part of the ...

This story was originally published by Grist. Sign up for Grist’s weekly newsletter here. The first thing Brazilian astrobiologist Rebeca Gonçalves remembers learning as a child was the order of the ...

Floating 250 miles above Earth, astronauts aboard the International Space Station aren't just orbiting, they're gardening. In a place with no up or down, no soil beneath their feet, and the vacuum of ...