February 2022 issue

Volume 67, Issue 2

We think farmers on Earth have it tough—how about trying to farm on Mars? There are myriad of challenges to overcome, but if we are to ever explore the Red Planet, it's a necessity. Understanding the soil—actually, regolith—will be very important, but we don't have Mars soils samples yet, and so researchers have been relying on simulated soils. While all the minerals and nutrients you would need for a productive soil have been detected on Mars, it remains to be seen whether they are bioavailable or in high enough amounts for food production. See p. 6. Cover depicts an artist's conception of a potential greenhouse on Mars. NASA illustration courtesy of SEArch+.