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Metro
2 days ago
- Science
- Metro
We're another step closer to living on the Moon
It's been 56 years since Neil Armstrong plonked a boot on the Moon and made history. Yet, much to the rest of humanity's annoyance, they haven't followed in his footsteps – literally. The grey, pockmarked orb doesn't exactly scream real estate, but Nasa hopes to build homes for astronauts and civilians on the Moon by 2040. Chinese scientists have suggested that this might not be as far-fetched as it might seem – the soil on the Moon could potentially support life. According to a study, the Chinese University of Hong Kong have invented a way to extract water from the chalky lunar soil. This celestial water is then used to convert carbon dioxide – such as that exhaled by astronauts – into carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas, which can be used to make fuel and oxygen for the astronauts to breathe. Just like on Earth, fuel and food would be costly on the Moon, given how expensive it would be flying up essentials into space. Travelling light is critical to spaceflight, where just one kilogram of supplies can cost well over £74,000 to ship up by rocket. And this includes water, too. The academics estimated that getting a single gallon of water to the Moon would cost £61,000, barely enough to quench the four gallons an astronaut would drink a day. But the researchers say this technology could 'potentially open new doors for future deep space exploration' by eliminating these eye-watering costs. Lead researcher Lu Wang said: 'We never fully imagined the 'magic' that the lunar soil possessed.' Appearances are deceiving when it comes to water on the Moon, where years of being pelted with asteroids and comets have left water on it. Shadowy craters on the lunar poles, known as permanently shadowed regions (PSRs), never see sunshine, meaning there's water ice tucked inside minerals such as ilmenite. The tool developed by the Chinese researchers would involve taking the reoglith – a layer of loose material that blankets solid rock – of ilmenite and heating it using sunlight to release the water. Carbon dioxide is then chucked in, causing the ilmenite to undergo photothermal catalysis – a novel method that uses sunlight to speed up chemical reactions. Wang added in a statement that 'one-step integration of lunar water extraction and photothermal carbon dioxide catalysis' could make efforts to build lunar outposts or Tescos (we assume) more energy efficient. Easier said than done, however, the researchers said, given that 'drastic temperature fluctuations', radiation and low gravity can make harvesting oxygen and water from the land tricky. Nasa's plan to build a colony on the Moon similarly involves making the most of the materials already there. The plan, first reported on in 2023, will involve blasting a 3-D printer into the heavens that will build structures out of lunar concrete created from the rock chips, mineral fragments and dust that cover the Moon. This debris is harmful to humans and is easily kicked up into the air – or rather, the lack of it – as astronauts lumber around in their heavy boots. The first lunar Americans could get some neighbours pretty soon, with South Korea to develop lunar landers by 2040 before building a 'lunar economic base by 2045', according to The Korea Times. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Longest solar eclipse in 100 years to happen in 2027 – here's where to see it MORE: Astronomers just casually witnessed the birth of a new solar system MORE: France's new rocket Baguette One to go where no baker has gone before
Euronews
3 days ago
- Science
- Euronews
Soil on the Moon could sustain human life, study finds
The soil on the Moon might be able to sustain life, according to a new study. Researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong developed a technology to extract water from lunar soil and used it to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and chemical fuel. The technology does this by converting light from the Sun into heat. According to the study, published in the Cell Press journal Joule, the research could 'potentially open new doors for future deep space exploration' because it could mitigate the expensive costs needed to bring essential resources such as water to the Moon. A single gallon (3.78 litres) of water costs $83,000 (€71,230) to ship up by rocket, the study continued, with one astronaut drinking roughly four gallons (15.14 litres) a day. 'We never fully imagined the 'magic' that the lunar soil possessed,' said lead researcher Lu Wang. However, the study notes that any strategies that are already in place to extract water from the surface of the Moon involve multiple 'energy-intensive' steps and do not break down how much CO2 is used by fuel. The Moon's extreme lunar environment will still make it challenging to harvest more oxygen and water from the land, the study continued, because there are 'drastic temperature fluctuations,' radiation and low gravity to deal with. The CO2 emitted from the breaths of the astronauts won't be enough to supply all the water, fuel and oxygen that the team of astronauts might need.
NDTV
4 days ago
- Science
- NDTV
Soil On The Moon Could Potentially Support Life, Study Claims
In groundbreaking new research, Chinese scientists have suggested that the soil on the Moon could potentially support life, thanks to a breakthrough technology that may help humans survive on the Moon. According to a study published in the journal Joule, researchers were able to extract water from lunar soil and use it to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and fuel-related chemicals. This innovation could pave the way for deeper space exploration by reducing dependency on Earth for essential resources like water, oxygen, and fuel. "We never fully imagined the 'magic' that the lunar soil possessed," Lu Wang of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, said. "The biggest surprise for us was the tangible success of this integrated approach. The one-step integration of lunar H2O extraction and photothermal CO2 catalysis could enhance energy utilisation efficiency and decrease the cost and complexity of infrastructure development," Lu Wang added, per In the past, space agencies have floated the idea of using the Moon as an outpost for far-flung explorations of the cosmos. But this might only be possible if experts are able to make the necessary fuel, water and other resources on the Moon itself. The Chinese researchers pointed out that studies have shown that transporting supplies from Earth to any future moon base would be expensive because the greater the mass of cargo, the harder a rocket has to work to launch into space. Citing one of the studies, they determined that it would cost $83,000 to ship a gallon of water to the Moon, and yet each astronaut would be expected to drink 4 gallons of water per day. Previous attempts to extract water from lunar soil used large amounts of energy and didn't break down CO2 for fuel and other essential uses. But now the new system overcomes those problems, scientists said. The team developed a technology that would both extract water from lunar soil and directly use it to convert the CO2 exhaled by astronauts into carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen gas, which could then be used to make fuels and oxygen for the astronauts to breathe. The technology accomplishes this through a novel system that uses light from the Sun and turns it into heat. Researchers said that the technology was a success in the lab. However, they noted that the extreme lunar environment still poses challenges that will complicate its usage on the lunar surface, including drastic temperature fluctuations, intense radiation and low gravity.
The Star
6 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Long Covid: Probiotics could form a potential treatment
There is no single treatment option for those with post-acute Covid-19 syndrome or long Covid, which remains a serious, but poorly-addressed public health concern worldwide. Globally, it is estimated to have affected some 400 million individuals who experience lingering symptoms such as brain fog, digestive issues and general malaise. In an attempt to find a solution, a team of researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) decided to assess a symbiotic preparation (a formulation that combines probiotics and prebiotics) to see if it could alleviate long Covid symptoms. This is as previous CUHK studies had shown that long Covid patients had altered gut microbiomes. Their formulation was developed based on a decade of research on Asian gut microbiomes. It consists of three probiotics ( Bifidobacterium adolescentis , Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium bifidum ) and three prebiotic fibres (galactooligosaccharides, xylooligosaccharides and resistant dextrin). From 2021 to 2022, 463 recovered patients with at least one long Covid symptom were recruited for the randomised controlled trial in Hong Kong. Nearly 70% were suspected to have been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. The patients were randomly assigned to receive either the formulation or a placebo containing low dose Vitamin C for six months. At the end of the study, 70% of the former reported improvement in digestive problems, compared to 54.1% in the placebo group. The group taking the formulation also had more improvements for symptoms like fatigue, difficulty in concentration, memory loss and general unwellness, compared to those taking the placebo. Analysis of their stool also showed that the formulation resulted in increased bacteria diversity, increased abundance of 'favourable' bacteria, and reduced abundance of 'unfavourable' bacteria in the gut. 'To our knowledge, this is the first clinical trial to show that modulation of the gut microbiome can improve long Covid symptoms, including memory and concentration problems. 'These data support the importance of the gut-brain axis. 'Restoring a healthy gut microbiota is a novel approach to improve neurological symptoms via the production of beneficial metabolites from gut bacteria that circulate to the brain to improve brain function,' says study lead investigator and gastroenterologist Professor Dr Siew C. Ng. The groundbreaking research was published in the March 2024 issue of the Lancet Infectious Diseases journal. 'We've seen that gut bacteria colonisation takes about six to 12 months to happen, so I tell my patients to take the formulation for a minimum of six months. 'If symptoms improve, they can come off it. 'A small proportion of them can do this, but over time, the bacteria may drop depending on diet, whether you received antibiotics, etc. 'However, a lot of patients are still on it after three years as they reported that once they stopped taking it, some of their symptoms returned. 'There is really no one-size-fits-all approach,' she says in a recent interview. Probiotic supplements are generally taken for health benefits, but if you're already healthy, do you need them? Prof Ng says: 'It's all right to be sceptical of probiotics as there are so many out there that claim to work. 'You're taking them for prevention, but it makes no difference if you're healthy as you won't know if it is working!' The associate dean of CUHK's Faculty of Medicine, who has been doing probiotics research for decades, is on a mission to educate doctors and pharmacists on how to choose or prescribe probiotics. 'Personally, I need scientific back-up to gauge the effectiveness of probiotics. 'We have isolated strains in our laboratory and know that not all of them have equal benefits. 'We've done clinical studies that showed no difference in gut microbiota when you take some of them. 'My advice to the public is to first try lifestyle measures to modulate the gut before taking probiotics. 'Then look at the large clinical studies and digest the information before deciding if you really need these supplements,' she says, adding that their formulation is now available in selected pharmacies in Malaysia. Click here for more on CUHK's research on restoring the gut microbiota to address eczema in children.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
China's new space tech could help Astronauts survive on the moon without resupply missions
Researchers in China have discovered a new way to make the Moon more livable. The team extracts water from lunar soil. They use it to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and fuel. This process could make Moon missions more efficient. It will also reduce costs. The technology uses sunlight and lunar soil to produce essential resources. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads How it will work? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Challenges Toward a Lunar base? Researchers in China say they have discovered a new way to make the Moon more livable. The team was able to extract water from lunar soil and use it to convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) into oxygen and chemicals that can be used as fuel. The findings were published in the Cell Press journal Wang from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, called the results 'magical' and said the one-step process could make future Moon missions more efficient and less water to the Moon is incredibly costly. According to the study, it costs around US$83,000 (about A$126,000) to ship just one gallon of water into space. Each astronaut needs about four gallons per day. That makes long-term Moon missions hard to new technology will solve this problem by using the Moon's own soil and sunlight to produce essential scientists created a system that uses sunlight to heat lunar soil and release water. This water is then used to break down CO₂, the gas astronauts exhale, into carbon monoxide and hydrogen. These gases can then be used to make fuel and process uses a technique called photothermal catalysis, which turns sunlight into heat to drive chemical the lab results are promising, real-world use on the Moon will be much harder. The Moon's surface experiences extreme temperatures, strong radiation, and low gravity, which could affect how well the system works outside the lunar soil is not the same everywhere, and the amount of CO₂ that astronauts produce may not be enough to meet all needs for fuel and researchers say more work is needed to improve the technology's performance and to make it practical for space years, space agencies have talked about building a base on the Moon to support missions deeper into space. This breakthrough could bring that goal one step closer. But before humans can live and work on the Moon, scientists will need to overcome several technical and environmental challenges.
