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Imagine this: you’re an astronaut, you’ve landed on the moon, and as you’re taking one small step for mankind, you kick up a bunch of lunar dirt. Now, tiny, jagged particles of dust are on your spacesuit, sticking to the spacecraft, getting in the machinery, and in your lungs. These are the kinds of problems planetary geologist Erica Jawin is trying to solve as NASA prepares for future moon bases.
And what will you eat as an astronaut on the moon? Turns out that lunar dirt, or regolith, can be used to grow potatoes and other crops, just like Matt Damon did in “The Martian.” Flora talks to space biologist David Handy to learn more.
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Segment Guests
Erica Jawin
Dr. Erica Jawin is a planetary geologist at the National Air and Space Museum and a participating scientist on NASA’s Artemis science team.
David Handy
Dr. David Handy is a space biologist studying how to grow potatoes in moon dirt at Oregon State University.
Segment Transcript
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Meet the Producers and Host
About Flora Lichtman
Flora Lichtman is a host of Science Friday. In a previous life, she lived on a research ship where apertivi were served on the top deck, hoisted there via pulley by the ship’s chef.
About Kathleen Davis
Kathleen Davis is a producer and fill-in host at Science Friday, which means she spends her weeks researching, writing, editing, and sometimes talking into a microphone. She’s always eager to talk about freshwater lakes and Coney Island diners.