Does the idea of lunar hummus sound strange? Scientists have grown chickpeas on Earth using dirt similar to lunar soil. This will eventually help astronauts grow their own food during long trips to the moon.
Scientists found that they could grow chickpeas in soil made mostly from “moon dirt” based on samples brought back by Nasa’s Apollo missions more than 50 years ago.
The chickpeas were grown in a special chamber at Texas A&M University in the United States.
The seeds were covered with fungi to help them grow. Then, they were planted in a mix of fake lunar soil and a nutrient-rich material. In soil mixtures with up to 75 per cent “lunar soil”, chickpeas that grew could be eaten. Seeds planted in 100 per cent “lunar soil” failed to blossom.
