June 2025 issue

Volume 70, Issue 6

• Scientists are investigating how human waste can be treated and used to grow food on other planets, a crucial step for sustaining astronauts during long-term missions to the Moon and Mars.

• Research shows that while human-derived nitrogen can support plant growth, it is less effective than commercial fertilizers and requires treatment to be safe and beneficial for crops like lettuce.

• Developing efficient nutrient recycling systems in space could improve sustainability in agriculture on Earth by reducing fertilizer waste and greenhouse gas emissions while also supporting astronaut health and morale on deep-space missions.

Cover photo: Astronaut Kayla Barron checks out chile peppers growing inside the International Space Station. Photo of Kayla and the Earth courtesy of NASA (under this license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/deed.en). Background space image courtesy of Adobe Stock (Iuliia Sokolovska).