Humans Can Colonize Mars With Tea

Every other person likes their "cuppa", but it seems that the good old cup of tea can be used by humans to colonize Mars.  Scientists from the Imperial College London have reportedly discovered a method to alter the bacteria present in fermented tea to make a wonder material on demand. Furthermore, the new material will have multipurpose uses, which could be particularly significant for future space missions and attempts to colonize the red planet, or any other celestial world for that matter.

The material, called bacterial cellulose is strong, malleable and safe at the same time according to reports. The substance, which is already used to create a host of products like faux leather and headphones, can be used in the future for a wide range of reasons including the detection of toxins to the removal of contaminants from water supply.

However, the difference of using bacterial cellulose now and in the future lies in the recent discovery of the right way to use DNA tools, to engineer and control a strain of bacteria detected in a type of tea called kombucha. The findings have enabled scientists to modify the cellulose production; subsequently the shape and size of the substance can be monitored as it grows. The Imperial College team of scientists and students suggests that the material can be used to develop fabrics and cloth with inbuilt sensors that will help in detecting toxins by changing color, as well as in water supplies to remove contamination, among other uses.

"Bacterial cellulose is a remarkable material that is malleable, safe and strong," said Dr Tom Ellis from the Imperial College London. In addition, Ellis added that his team would be in talks with NASA scientists to discover and explore more uses for bacterial cellulose for space missions in the future. Interestingly, the capability of creating cellulose, from just a few microbes in a controlled state, means that astronauts can develop materials for making important components needed for colonization, when they land on the surface of other planets or celestial bodies. Therefore, bacterial cellulose will make the job easier for space missions by not heaping the burden of transporting essential readymade material needed for future colonization attempts. Imagine, such a convenience originating in tea.