Humans Can Breathe On Mars Through Bacteria's Help, Scientists Say

Bacteria, according to scientists, could be the key to producing oxygen on Mars.

According to Mashable, scientists may use cyanobacteria to find a way for people to acquire oxygen in space quickly.

Carbon dioxide is converted to oxygen by cyanobacteria.

Cyanobacteria can live in harsh settings on Earth, so it's anticipated they'll be able to thrive on Mars.

Some specialists have proposed transporting the bacterium to Mars to test whether it can produce oxygen for future people who may end up there.

Rover on Mars Habitat Simulation — A robotic rover that is part of a team from Europe and Israel moves during a training mission for planet Mars at a site that simulates an off-site station at the Ramon Crater in Mitzpe Ramon in Israel's southern Negev desert on October 10, 2021. - Six astronauts from Portugal, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, and Israel will be cut off from the world for a month, from October 4-31, only able leave their habitat in spacesuits as if they were on Mars. Their mission, the AMADEE-20 Mars simulation, will be carried out in a Martian terrestrial analog and directed by a dedicated Mission Support Center in Austria, to conduct experiments ahead of future human and robotic Mars exploration missions. JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

Cyanobacteria have already been shown to flourish in a Martian-like environment in experiments. Scientists may have figured out a means for microorganisms to give oxygen on this long-haul journey by then.

Humans still need to reside in highly protected shelters because Mars is a hostile environment with drastic temperature swings and continual radiation exposure.

However, experts said per WKRC that growing cyanobacteria in the Martian environment would be a challenge. It would be impossible for the planet to develop since its total pressure is less than 1% of Earth's.

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How Cyanobacterium Can Produce Oxygen to Help People Breathe on Mars

According to BGR's report, bacteria might help humans breathe on Mars by creating oxygen.

Researchers published the study, "A Low-Pressure, N2/CO2 Atmosphere Is Suitable for Cyanobacterium-Based Life-Support Systems on Mars," in the Frontiers in Microbiology journal in February 2021.

They found that the so-called cyanobacterium might allow humans to breathe freely on Mars thanks to the work of Bremen Germany, the University of Bremen, and the Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM).

"Cyanobacteria have long been targeted as candidates to drive biological life support on space missions, as all species produce oxygen through photosynthesis while some can fix atmospheric nitrogen into nutrients," researchers said in a statement.

Cyanobacteria have long been thought to be an effective choice for supporting biological life due to their unique properties.

This creature can create oxygen in the same manner that plants do. This bacteria can transform carbon dioxide into oxygen thanks to its photosynthetic capabilities.

Another intriguing feature is its capacity to live in hostile environments, which makes it extremely helpful on Mars.

Humans Living on Mars

NASA aims to send humans to Mars, and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed his ambitious ambitions for a human settlement there. Musk has stated that he wants to send one million people to Mars by 2050.

Given the pace with which scientists are attempting to identify adequate and sustainable circumstances for people to dwell on the planet, reports said that bacteria might be able to deliver oxygen on this long-haul voyage by then.

However, because Mars has a hostile climate with drastic temperature variations and continual radiation exposure, humans would still need to dwell in protected bunkers.