It has become known which crop can grow on the Moon

Scientists from the University of Kent have proven that tea can be grown in soil that simulates lunar ground. The experiment was conducted in collaboration with the British plantation Dartmoor Tea, Lightcurve Films studio, and the Europlanet organization. The researchers reported their discovery at the Space Agriculture Workshop (SAW) conference.

Seedlings were planted in "lunar" and "Martian" soil analogues, comparing them with a control group in ordinary soil from Devon. The conditions - temperature, light, and humidity - were selected to resemble space environments.

The result was unexpected: tea bushes in the "lunar" soil took root and grew just as well as the control plants, while in the "Martian" soil, the plants died.

"These experiments show that Earth crops, including tea, can be grown in lunar greenhouses, providing future colonists with fresh food and even a traditional British 'tea break'," noted the research leader Professor Nigel Mason.

Scientists emphasize: the research is important not only for future lunar bases but also for Earth. The results will help better understand how plants survive in adverse conditions and how to revitalize depleted soils suffering from climate change and exhaustion.

Dr. Sarah Lopez-Gomolon added: "We've taken the first step - showing that tea can be grown in lunar soil. The next step is to understand the physiology of plants in these conditions to improve growth and extend the experience to other crops."