From Earth to Mars: a blushing weed

Sydney Morning Herald ^ | April 26 2002 | Richard Macey

[dead]

The first Earthling on Mars may not be a brave astronaut with the right stuff, but a weed.

NASA is considering sending a flower to the red planet to see if future human explorers could use Martian soil to grow food in greenhouses.

The idea is being pushed by Christopher McKay, a senior research scientist at NASA's Ames centre in California.

"I have taken it on as a personal quest," Dr McKay told the Herald.

If NASA approves, the flower could be on its way in 2007, aboard the first of a series of small landers called Scout.

While Dr McKay would prefer to send a red rose to the red planet, he expected the most likely candidate would be "a less fussy plant", possibly the common weed arabidopsis. Widely used in laboratory experiments, it was "the mouse of the plant world".

Scout's robot arm would scoop up some Martian soil and drop it inside a tiny greenhouse. The soil would be flushed with water to wash out toxins, including salts and oxidants.

After being pressurised with Martian air - mainly carbon dioxide - nutrients and more water would be added to the greenhouse and the seed would be dropped in.

Genetically modified before launch by adding fluorescent proteins, the plant would glow different colours if it became "stressed".

Just as people turn red when blushing, or blue if they hold their breath, "the plant could be programmed to tell us if there are too many oxidants in the soil, if it is too salty, or needs water".

The seeds would be treated to ensure they carried no bacteria that could survive on Mars.

Under the Scout program rules, the mission's cost would be capped at $US325 million ($597.5 million).

Not all Mars scientists are so keen.

"Chris comes up with all sorts of whacky ideas. He is fundamentally whacky," said a colleague, Malcolm Walter, the director of Macquarie University's Australian Centre for Astrobiology.

"We are a long way from human missions to Mars," said Professor Walter, adding it would be better to study Martian soil by sending unmanned probes to bring some back to Earth.

Mike Meyer, a NASA astrobiologist, fears Earthbound scientists, watching the plant via television, would end up saying: "Golly, it died, now what?"

But Dr McKay said the flower would be "a true biological pioneer" and a "powerful symbol of the long-term vision of life expanding beyond the Earth".

[HairOfTheDog]

I want some of these plants that are "Genetically modified ... by adding fluorescent proteins, the plant would glow different colours if it became "stressed"! - I kill houseplants that can't talk to me... I like the "turning blue when it needs water" idea.

[Brett66]

Although Arabidopsis thaliana thrives even in Alaska it has to be replanted every year because moose eat all of it.

I hear moose bites can be pretty nasty.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Nah... we should be environmentally friendly, and make it Tofu - cover the planet with Soy, and send all the enviralwhackos there... ;0)

[Victoria Delsoul]

"We are a long way from human missions to Mars," said Professor Walter, adding it would be better to study Martian soil by sending unmanned probes to bring some back to Earth.

Makes sense.

[hedgetrimmer]

I can imagine Mars as a place with no ESA! No laws against terraforming it and making it a pretty cool place to live.

[Doc On The Bay]

-------and send all the EnviralWacko's There!!!-----

Well, Hell, I can think of NO BETTER PLACE to send the "Greens" than to Mars!

LET THEM "ReFoliate" the Planet!!

Perhaps they would THEN "Leave Us Alone!!"

We are "OVERDUE" to physically Visit the place!

Doc

[tubebender]

Did someone say "space weed"?

FYI...but keep it a secret. DelNorte County Ca is considering a new medical marijana ordinance. 99 plants or 1 pound

[RightWhale]

There is a 50s sci-fi movie called "The Creeping Unknown" where an astronaut gets infected by an extraterrestrial organism and returns to earth only to become a hideous monster. Whenever I think of bringing Mars dirt back to earth I think of that. :)

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!

[Eustace]

If it's his "personal quest" let him pay for it!!!

[Phil V.]

Although Arabidopsis thaliana thrives even in Alaska it has to be replanted every year because moose eat all of it.

Fine.

Go ahead and scratch Bullwinkle from the crew.

[mafree]

bump

[Polonius]

Isn't this an idea with ties to terraforming? I seem to recall hearing about a plan to make Mars habitable, a plan that would start with importing simple plant life capable of surviving in the planet's thin atmosphere in order to produce needed CO2. It seemed like an interesting idea of the time ... what if humans could breathe on Mars by the time the first manned mission lands?

[farmfriend]

Making sure you caught this one.

[Grampa Dave]

No body gets arrested in that county unless they have more than 50 lbs of Medical Weed in their possession.

[headsonpikes]

So I trust you keep your stash under the magic number, Gramps!

[Grampa Dave]

A glass of good Wine Valley Merlot a day and one micro brew a day is all that Grampa Dave needs. There is no medical, psychological or physilogical need for Grampa Dave to use weed. If I want a high, I visit my Grandkids or go fishing! I went fishing Wed and had a great day. Tomorrow we will be baby sitting with the Grandkids in the pm and evening.

I live a dull and basically drug free life. I take my multi vitamin and Vasotec for my high blood pressure, inherited from both sides of my family tree.

[Calvin Locke]

Didn't Stephen King do a reverse on this theme?

He "starred" in the vignette. Meteor lands in his north 40, he touches it, turns into to a big weed weed. Valley turns green.

End of story.

[headsonpikes]

"I live a dull...life..."

Not if you've got grandkids you don't! Don't forget to save some of that merlot to wash down the moose meat. ;^)