Open AccessSustaining Resources for Homo Martis: The Potential Application of Synthetic Biology for the Settlement of Mars
Author(s) -
Rauf Sharpe,
Martin Braddock
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
studia humana
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2299-0518
DOI - 10.2478/sh-2022-0001
Subject(s) - mars exploration program , synthetic biology , martian , agency (philosophy) , adaptation (eye) , exploration of mars , astrobiology , engineering , environmental resource management , environmental ethics , biology , sociology , computational biology , economics , social science , philosophy , neuroscience
The recent success of the Mars 2020 project and the high quality images relayed back to Earth have provided further impetus and expectations for human missions to Mars. To support space agency and private enterprise plans to establish a sustainable colony on Mars in the 2030s, synthetic biology may play a vital role to enable astronaut self-sufficiency. In this review, we describe some aspects of where synthetic biology may inform and guide in situ resource utilisation strategies. We address the nature of Martian regolith and describe methods by which it may be rendered fit for purpose to support growth and yield of bioengineered crops. Lastly, we illustrate some examples of innate human adaptation which may confer characteristics desirable in the selection of colonists and with a future looking lens, offer potential targets for human enhancement.