List

With plans to revisit the lunar surface and eventually send a crewed mission to Mars, future space exploration missions are likely to involve an extended stay. For such missions, or perhaps even settlements, survival requires meeting basic human needs. One material that could be used to meet those needs is chitin, which is produced and metabolized by organisms across most biological kingdoms. Chitin is a primary component of cell walls in fungi, the exoskeletons of arthropods, such as crustaceans and insects, and the scales of fish and amphibians. Due to its ubiquity, chitin will likely be part of any artificial ecosystem.

One of our recent studies uses simple chemistry, suitable for early Martian settlement, to extract and manufacture a new material with minimal energy requirements and without specialized equipment. We made this material by combining chitosan with a mineral designed to mimic the properties of Martian soil. We then used the chitinous material to construct a wrench and a model of a Martian habitat, demonstrating that this material enables the rapid manufacturing of objects ranging from basic tools to perhaps even rigid shelters, which could support humans in a Martian environment. This approach may be the key to our development as an interplanetary species.

Against the general perception, bioinspired manufacturing and sustainable materials are not a substituting technology for synthetic polymers, but an enabling technology defining a new paradigm in manufacturing, and allowing to do things that are unachievable by their synthetic counterparts. Here we have demonstrated that they are key not only for our sustainability on Earth but also for one of the next biggest achievements of humanity: our transformation into an interplanetary species.

Our technology was originally developed to create circular ecosystems in urban environments, but due to its efficiency, it is also the most efficient and scalable method to produce materials in a closed artificial ecosystem in the extremely scarce environment of a lifeless planet or satellite.

Reference:
Martian biolith: A bioinspired regolith composite for closed-loop extraterrestrial manufacturing. (DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238606)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  Posts

1 2
October 7th, 2020

Understanding cancer cell behavior and migration by mimicking organic tissue

Interactions between cancer cells with their microenvironment, in particular, mechanical forces encountered by the cells, influence their behaviour, and ultimately […]

September 16th, 2020

Bioinspired and circular manufacturing is the key to colonizing Mars

With plans to revisit the lunar surface and eventually send a crewed mission to Mars, future space exploration missions are […]

August 15th, 2020

Exploring the targeted differentiation of stem cells through 3D printed geometrical cues

All humans start out from a single cell which then divides to eventually form the embryo. Depending on the signals […]

July 18th, 2020

Mimicking the mineralized shells of cockles

In the summer, many people enjoy walks along the beach looking for seashells. Among the most prized are those that […]

March 18th, 2020

We developed the link between urban waste and additive manufacturing: Bioinspired engineering was the missing piece for regional circular economies

Urban waste and bioinspired engineering provide key ingredients to 3D printed materials, allowing for global adoption of sustainable manufacturing processes. […]

April 2nd, 2019

Nano-cellulose for the encapsulation and delivery of cells

Tissue engineering is a medical solution that uses living cells to repair or replace structural tissue, such as blood vessels, […]

November 16th, 2018

The largest biological structure ever printed

Since its invention plastic has become central in our economy and way of life. If in the 1950’s we produced […]

September 8th, 2016

Our patent on Shrilk has been granted

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a patent on our application for Shrilk. The patent “High […]

November 5th, 2015

Making Chitosan objects: A school activity

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” —Nelson Mandela (1918-2013)   Chitin is […]

March 25th, 2015

Serendipity in Science: looking for chitin and finding plastic

The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not “Eureka” but “That’s funny…” […]

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website more information

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.

Close