Bioplastics from algae for extraterrestrial habitats

Bioplastics made from algae could help build extraterrestrial habitats that will ensure the survival of future space travelers: a research group led by Harvard University has shown that it is possible to grow a common type of green algae in an environment made of a material obtained from the same organisms it contains, under conditions of pressure and air composition similar to those found on Mars . The study, published in the journal Science Advances, therefore indicates that these bioplastics would allow the creation of structures capable of supporting life in an environment that is devoid of it. "If you have a habitat made of bioplastic and algae grow inside it, they could produce more bioplastic ," says research coordinator Robin Wordsworth. "You get a closed-loop system that can sustain itself and even grow over time. With the development of this type of technology ," continues Wordsworth, "we will have useful applications for sustainability here on Earth too." The authors of the study recreated the thin Martian atmosphere in the laboratory , with a pressure over 100 times lower than that of Earth and rich in carbon dioxide. The algae were grown in a small 3D-printed chamber made with a bioplastic called ' polylactic acid ', which is able to block harmful UV rays but, at the same time, allows the passage of a quantity of light sufficient to ensure photosynthesis. The researchers now aim to demonstrate the functioning of the habitat even in vacuum conditions : this would be very important to be able to use it in other circumstances, such as missions to the Moon or in deep space.