Making Mars: Aussie research turns red dirt into metal
Human settlement on Mars could be one step closer after Australian researchers discovered a way to make metal using the planet’s red dirt.
Researchers from the CSIRO and Swinburne University announced the breakthrough on Monday, revealing they had successfully produced iron using a synthetic version of Martian soil.
The metal, which would also use carbon from the planet’s atmosphere and solar-powered heating, could be used to construct radiation shields and buildings rather than relying on materials transported from Earth.