Could Fungi Build Colonies On The Moon Or Mars?

From whether it's even possible to do it, to what it might mean for the future colonization of space, join us as we ask, " Could Future Homes on the Moon and Mars Be Made of Fungi?"
I know what you're thinking, "That's completely disgusting! Why in the world would we want to make colonies out of fungi? How could we even live in that!?!" And yeah, on a certain level...it is disgusting. But believe it or not, there are a lot of scientists out there in the world right now that are wondering if this is our best way to make colonies on places like the moon or Mars. Which obviously are our "biggest contenders" for life outside of Earth (at least in terms of distance and likelihood of us actually making that happen).
This "belief" was grown (pun intended) via the myco-architecture project out of NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley, and their basis is this, they think that they can "grow" habitats that we can live on.
"Right now, traditional habitat designs for Mars are like a turtle — carrying our homes with us on our backs – a reliable plan, but with huge energy costs," said Lynn Rothschild, the principal investigator on the early-stage project. "Instead, we can harness mycelia to grow these habitats ourselves when we get there."
Now would this mean that the fungi themselves would be alone in regards to resources that we would use to build habitats? Actually, no, the fungi themselves would be within a structure that would be brought with the astronauts. They would go and unfold something like a base structure (think like a tent if you will) and then they'd add water to the fungi to get it to grow. Once the fungi has spread over the entire structure, we'd be able to live in it.
What's more, because the structure itself would be in a "container" if you will it won't harm the Martian soil. Which we would need intact for various studies and other project like growing crops and such. Should this work, this would allow much more portable habitats to be made, and they would be done in a much quicker amount of time, especially in regards to first contact missions with planets and moons that we might live on. The astronauts can reside in the spacecraft they came down in while the fungi habitat grows, and then once it's ready, they can theoretically live in it full-time.
Now you might be thinking, "Wait, can they really do that right now?" Uh...no, they can't. BUT, they are working on it, which is a key factor. NASA is one of the people pushing this to be made. Specifically, the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program, known as NIAC, and is part of a field known as synthetic biology – the study of how we can use life itself as technology. Which I know sounds VERY sci-fi, but believe it or not, we already have things on this world that do those kinds of things. Like using the cells of a person to do various things, or using brain scans to try and make A.I., it's along those lines, but obviously in a different branch and field.
As for where this almost literal ground-breaking research is right now, it's in the early stages of development, but they are working hard to make it work. Phase 1 is as basic as you can get, they're trying to see if they can manipulate, or maybe even "program", the fungi into doing this kind of task. They've even done some experiments with the fungi to make it grow certain ways. One test had the fungi try to make a "stool". After two weeks of growth, the size was impressive, but the shape...let's just say it looked like something you wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole and move on.
Before we continue diving into this funky fungi and whether we can use it to colonizing space, be sure to like our video and subscribe to the channel! That way you don't miss ANY of our weekly videos!
I know you're likely still having a hard time picturing how fungi could grow into habitats. I mean, it's not like we're going to live in a mushroom house, right? And no, we won't (and if we do, I'm eating the house, I'm just saying). Rather, it's a very specific part of the fungi that NASA and other scientists are trying to manipulate: mycelia. More than likely, you don't even know what that is, but in basic terms, it's the threads that fungi use to build themselves.

Video Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:19 Exploring Fungi as a Building Material
02:19 Can We Live to It Now?
03:44 How Fungi Could grow into Habitat
04:50 Technical Challenges and Solutions
05:22 The Broader Impact
09:46 Future Prospects and Philosophical Implications

#insanecuriosity #mars #fungi

[InsaneCuriosity]

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[sussekind]

As a mycologist, I can tell you that fungi would have so many applications on a Mars colony. They can grow without light, all they need is water and substrate.
Everything from food, to materials to build structures with.
Although I like the images of psilocybe cubensis at 5:41😏
(If you get that, props to you!)

[TheRealGuywithoutaMustache]

I think Fungi has a better chance of thriving in extreme environments better than humans ever will.

[IndianMusic.shorts]

I think for making Mars green
Sino bacteria helps to create whole Mars soil usable for us by eating proclorate and also providing nutrients to soil and they provide oxygen too
After that worms and other bacteria play their role fungus tooo..
Then we can grow plants their but we need thick atmosphere before

[seriamaugenlicher]

Not just to build homes but to literally colonize Mars. Fungi can change its atmosphere, extract nutrients and metals. Fungi could be our future.

[MrKclo]

lichens would be used to convert rocks n minerals to soil, and most habitats would be dug under ground with a domed lid, its the easiest least material heavy method of building, just use the soil you dig up to make walls

[amos]

Did anyone managed to tell the Mario Brothers?

[shdwbnndbyyt]

Why do I keep seeing the same four NASA "scientists", in the same positions, in various projects being shown us?

[moralesfabricio]

Nice video.
You putted the wrong picture of Lynn Rotschild. Who you putted is the businesswoman of media not the NASA's scientist

[Ivan.A.Trollyouski]

A bioengineered fungus built for mars should be our focus.

[sterrre]

Could we possibly someday create plants or fungi that can survive in a vacuum and can withstand high UV?

[qborki]

Isn't Mars like -60°C? Can fungi actually grow in below freezing temperature?

[Johnsonmusik]

Okay let's just say we have made some plannet habitable that means it will rain there too and slowly there will be ponds ocean and icy poles too right? Now won't the weight of the plannet be more after that, also resulting a shift in its orbit, which may result some miss balance in solar system?
Also one more thang, let's just say they don't wanna make the whole plannet a habitat, just some places with semi circular artificial dome ecosystem, and use solar power to power up diff things needed, how they gonna supply water over there?
Very less folks know this, future of humanity is highly dependent on one thing, we either master gravity or we will be erased.
We need new ways to travel space with less efforts so that we can travel and learn.
Earth is our home and we still infant, we need to go out in the right ways to survive before its too late

[redharrison]

I really don't understand why people talks so much about the moon? Almost nobody cares about the moon, its a dead rock! Lets focus on Mars and Titan!
Great video by the way 👍

[jaydelrosario]

Fungi sprouts all season fruits....THE HAVE ALL WEATHERS STORM HURRICANE TORNADO FALL WINTER BLIZZARD SPRING SUMMER HEATWAVE...SOUTHUNDER THYPHUNES SIGNAL ....