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 harsh environment of Mars, according to a new paper in the journal The Innovation.
This moss can grow in freezing temperatures as cold as -320.8 degrees Fahrenheit, and can survive levels of gamma radiation that would kill most other plants and life forms.
The plant can also withstand incredibly dry conditions, as well as a combination of dryness, heavy radiation, and cold weather in a simulation of the conditions on the Red Planet.
This is the first time that a whole plant has been tested for its ability to withstand conditions in space or on another world. Syntrichia caninervis is found across the world growing in harsh environments, ranging from Tibet to Antarctica, making it the perfect candidate for testing under Mars conditions.
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“S. caninervis represents a promising candidate as a colonist to facilitate terraforming efforts on Mars or other planets. This is not only because S. caninervis is a land plant with extreme multiple stress tolerance but also because it could serve as a pioneer species and the basis for the establishment and maintenance of the ecosystem by contributing to oxygen production, carbon sequestration, and soil fertility,” the researchers wrote. “Thus, S. caninervis can help drive the atmospheric, geological, and ecological processes required for other higher plants and animals while facilitating the creation of new habitable environments conducive to long-term human settlement.”
