Researchers discovered that it would be more difficult than expected to grow plants on Mars when partially-grown lettuce died after being planted in imitation Martian soil.

(https://www.sciencenews.org/article/mars-farming-harder-martian-regolith-soil)

THE WHAT - THE WHY - THE HOW

Is it possible to grow plants on Mars? Could we support a colony with food grown on the Red Planet? With space travel becoming more streamlined and human curiosity leading us to other planets, these are significant questions. In the future, it would be quite difficult to inhabit planets such as Mars without the capability to grow food there.

One important aspect of growing food is the soil. Different plants require different types of soil, with different pHs and other components. While Earth soils comprises micronutrients and other decomposed materials, Martian soil is just crushed rock (article linked above). Unaided Mars soil cannot sustain plant life, so it is important to discover what must be added to the soil in order for it to support vegetation.

I hope to grow edible potatoes in imitation Mars soil with some nutrients added in.

I'm not sure where my project will go after Senior year, but my outcomes could influence our understanding of astrobiology and what humans will need to potentially live on Mars one day.