Biomining in space – BioRock

The ESA BioRock experiment is looking into using microbes to build an extra-terrestrial habitat.

To build a sustainable presence on the moon and Mars, local resources will be critical. Precious metals are available on the moon and Mars, but are not straightforward to mine. The BioRock experiment, led by Prof. dr. Charles Cockell, is investigating biomining in which microbes could be help to support getting access to the local resources.

The first results from the experiment look promising and have been published in Frontiers in Microbiology and Nature Communications.