Potato Starch- The Key to Building on Mars and the Moon

Level 1:

Researchers at the University of Manchester have made a new kind of building material. It’s called StarCrete. StarCrete is twice as strong as concrete. It can be made using potato starch and a little bit of salt or astronauts’ tears. It does not use extreme heat or complicated machines either. Researchers made StarCrete by adding potato starch to simulated Martian soil. They made a stronger mixture by using simulated moon dust. Using StarCrete could help people build houses on Mars or the moon. The researchers are asking for money to keep working on StarCrete through a crowdfunding campaign.

Level 2:

Scientists at the University of Manchester have developed a new building material named StarCrete. This material is twice as strong as concrete and can be made using potato starch, salt or magnesium chloride from Mars, and even astronauts’ tears. The researchers mixed potato starch with simulated Martian soil to create the material. They also found that by adding simulated moon dust, it became even stronger. Building structures on other planets using StarCrete would be much cheaper as it does not require heavy machinery or high temperatures. The team has launched a crowdfunding campaign to continue developing the material through DeakinBio.

Full Story:

The idea of humans colonizing other planets has long fascinated scientists and the public alike. But one major obstacle to this dream has been the cost and complexity of building structures in space using materials from Earth. However, a team of researchers at the University of Manchester may have found a solution: building materials made from potato starch.

According to the team’s lead researcher, Dr. Aled Roberts, it made sense to use starch as a binding agent since astronauts will already be producing it as food. By mixing simulated Martian or lunar soil with potato starch and a pinch of salt—or even astronauts’ tears—the researchers created a material that is twice as strong as concrete and doesn’t require extreme heat or heavy processing equipment. This breakthrough could significantly reduce the cost and complexity of building structures on Mars or the Moon.

The new material, dubbed StarCrete, has a strength of 72 Megapascals (MPa) when mixed with simulated Martian soil and 91 MPa when mixed with simulated moon dust. In comparison, traditional concrete has a strength of 32 MPa. What’s more, the process of making StarCrete requires only normal “home baking” temperatures, meaning that astronauts can produce almost half a ton of the material using just 55 pounds of potatoes and a little salt or magnesium chloride obtained from the Martian surface.

The potential applications of this new material are immense. For example, it could be used to build shelters, landing pads, or even entire habitats on other planets. And since the material can also be used as a greener alternative to traditional concrete on Earth, it has practical uses closer to home as well.

The team has launched a crowdfunding campaign to assist with continuing development of the material through the start-up DeakinBio. It’s clear that this research has the potential to revolutionize space exploration and pave the way for human colonization of other planets.

But why stop at potatoes? As we continue to explore space, we may discover new materials that can be used to build structures in extreme environments. And who knows—perhaps one day we’ll find ourselves living in houses made from materials we never thought possible. The possibilities are endless.

However, there are still several challenges that must be overcome before humans can colonize other planets. These include issues such as radiation exposure, isolation, and the psychological effects of living in a confined space for extended periods of time. But every breakthrough in materials science brings us one step closer to achieving our dreams of becoming an interplanetary species.

In conclusion, the development of StarCrete is a significant breakthrough in the field of space exploration. By using simple ingredients readily available to astronauts, we may be able to significantly reduce the cost and complexity of building structures on other planets. And who knows—perhaps one day we’ll look back on this discovery as the moment when humans truly began to explore the final frontier.

Questions:

What is the name of the new building material developed by researchers at the University of Manchester?

How does StarCrete compare to traditional concrete in terms of strength?

What ingredients are used to make StarCrete?

Why is it important to find alternative, readily available building materials for space exploration?

In your opinion, do you think StarCrete has the potential to revolutionize space exploration?

Fill In the Blanks:

astronauts, obstacle, reduce, pinch, significant, interplanetary, complexity, ingredients, habitats, materials, shelters, immense, Martian, structures, isolation, colonizing, concrete, breakthrough, DeakinBio, revolutionize, researchers

The idea of humans ________ other planets has long fascinated scientists and the public alike.

But one major ________ to this dream has been the cost and ________ of building ________ in space using ________ from Earth.

However, a team of ________ at the University of Manchester may have found a solution: building materials made from potato starch.

Aled Roberts, it made sense to use starch as a binding agent since ________ will already be producing it as food.

By mixing simulated ________ or lunar soil with potato starch and a ________ of salt—or even astronauts’ tears—the researchers created a material that is twice as strong as ________ and doesn’t require extreme heat or heavy processing equipment.

This ________ could significantly ________ the cost and complexity of building structures on Mars or the Moon.

The potential applications of this new material are ________.

For example, it could be used to build ________, landing pads, or even entire ________ on other planets.

The team has launched a crowdfunding campaign to assist with continuing development of the material through the start-up ________.

It’s clear that this research has the potential to ________ space exploration and pave the way for human colonization of other planets.

These include issues such as radiation exposure, ________, and the psychological effects of living in a confined space for extended periods of time.

But every breakthrough in materials science brings us one step closer to achieving our dreams of becoming an ________ species.

In conclusion, the development of StarCrete is a ________ breakthrough in the field of space exploration.

By using simple ________ readily available to astronauts, we may be able to significantly reduce the cost and complexity of building structures on other planets.

Difficult Words:

colonizing - the act of establishing a colony or colonies in a new territory, especially one that is under the control of another country or government.

materials - substances used for making things.

obstacle - something that makes it difficult to achieve a goal or objective.

complexity - the state of being complicated or intricate.

structures - things that are built, such as buildings or bridges.

potato starch - a carbohydrate extracted from potatoes used as a thickening agent in cooking and baking.

researchers - people who conduct research or scientific studies.

University of Manchester - a public research university in Manchester, England.

binding agent - a substance that holds other substances together.

astronauts - people who travel in space.

Martian - relating to the planet Mars.

lunar soil - the soil found on the surface of the Moon.

pinch - a small amount of something.

concrete - a building material made from a mixture of cement, sand, and water.

breakthrough - an important discovery or development.

reduce - to make something smaller or less.

immense - extremely large or great.

shelters - a place where someone can take cover or be protected.

landing pads - a platform on which spacecraft lands.

habitats - a place where someone lives.

green alternative - an environmentally friendly option.

crowdfunding campaign - a method of raising funds for a project or venture by soliciting contributions from a large number of people, typically via the internet.