Scientists Grow Plants In The Dark, Paving Way For Growth Of Food On Mars

Scientists have developed a way to grow plants in complete darkness. To grow plants without sunlight, a method of artificial photosynthesis was employed. In the long run, such advances could help us find new ways to grow food on Earth and perhaps even on Mars.

The study, published in the journal Nature Food, details how researchers used a two-step chemical process to convert carbon dioxide, electricity, and water into acetate - "a form of the main component of vinegar," Independent reported.

Once that was done, food-producing organisms consumed acetate to grow in the dark. Enter, solar energy! Scientists then used solar panels to generate electricity to support the chemical reaction.

Unsplash

How could this method be used?

The researchers involved in the experiment claim that this method could increase the conversion efficiency of sunlight into food. For some food times, it could be up to 18 times more efficient.

Nature Food

What they essentially did was use electrolysers to convert raw materials like CO2 into useful products and molecules. By modifying the output of electrolysers, scientists assisted the growth of food-producing organisms.

Our paper ¡°A hybrid inorganic¨Cbiological artificial photosynthesis system for energy-efficient food production¡± is out @NatureFood! We propose a new technology for energy efficient food production independent of biological photosynthesis. 1/?https://t.co/3H090oMn8J pic.twitter.com/bs1Csfh3uU

¡ª Robert Jinkerson (@JinkersonLab) June 23, 2022

Also read: Plants Are Now Breaking Biochemistry Rules By Deciding How Much Carbon To Release

Is biological photosynthesis outdated then? The new system allowed scientists to improve the amount of acetate and decrease salt levels.

"With our approach we sought to identify a new way of producing food that could break through the limits normally imposed by biological photosynthesis," study author Robert Jinkerson from UC Riverside said in a statement.

Unsplash

Also read: Future Solar Power Plants In Space Will Beam Sun's Energy To Earth: Here's How

What all can be grown using this method? Scientists claim that green algae, yeast, and fungal mycelium that produce mushroom can all be grown in the dark. Not only that, algae production using such tech was also four times more energy efficient than photosynthesis.

What do you think about using artificial photosynthesis to grow plants? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.

References

Hann, E. C. (2022, June 23). A hybrid inorganic? biological artificial photosynthesis system for energy-efficient food production. Nature.

Sankaran, V. (2022, June 27). Scientists find a way to grow plants in complete darkness. The Independent.