"Exploring Martian Agriculture: Fly Larvae and Synthetic Soil as Potential Solutions"

Aerospace engineering undergraduate Emmanuel Mendoza is conducting a study at Texas A&M University to determine the feasibility of growing plants on Mars. He is mixing simulated Martian soil with fly larvae waste to create a nutrient substitute for the soil. Mendoza is currently growing English peas in the simulated soil and has observed growth across all his plants, even those growing in 100% simulated Martian soil. His experiment aims to contribute to further research on the topic of extraterrestrial plant growth.