By: Jeremy Sun

Syntrichia caninervis, a type of moss usually found in remote and harsh environments on Earth like Antarctica and the Mojave Desert in the US, has astonished scientists with its resilience. Recently, researchers discovered that this moss can survive conditions similar to those on Mars, including drought, high levels of radiation, and extreme cold. This groundbreaking discovery opens new possibilities for understanding life’s potential on the Red Planet.

The researchers subjected the moss to Martian-like conditions, including an atmosphere made up of 95% carbon dioxide gas, temperatures dropping to -196°C, high ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun, and low atmospheric pressure. Researchers in China reported that the moss type not only survived but also rapidly recovered from an almost complete loss of water.

According to the CBBC article “Scientists discover that a type of moss can grow on Mars,” Prof Stuart McDaniel, who wasn’t part of the study but is an expert on moss at the University of Florida, voiced, “This paper is exciting because it shows that desert moss survives short exposures to some of the stresses that are likely to be found on a trip to Mars, including very high levels of radiation, very cold temperatures, and very low oxygen levels.”

Scientists see the moss experiment as an important step towards growing plants on Mars. This is a small contribution leading to the possibility of humankind living on Mars.

Professor Edward Guinan from Villanova University in the US called the study impressive, stating, “This lowly desert moss offers hope for making small portions of Mars habitable for humankind in the future.”

Image Credit by DNE Stock project