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Our View: Mars trip turns up ability to grow turnip
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After testing samples of Martian soil, NASA's Phoenix lander has reported back that Mars is, in theory, capable of supporting life. The soil was not so acidic as to be toxic, as some feared. Instead, it was mildly alkaline.
"It's very typical of the soil here on Earth minus the organics," said mission scientist Samuel Kounaves. With the organics, it would be possible to grow plants like asparagus, green beans and turnips, setting aside for the moment the violent extremes of temperature, lack of liquid water and the lethal ultraviolet radiation.
Phoenix made this discovery by scooping up soil and funneling it into on-board chemistry labs. In addition to finding that the soil was on the alkaline, or salty, side, Phoenix detected the presence of magnesium, sodium, potassium and chloride. Thus, Mars turns out to be both fascinating and mundane - as if the "Star Trek" intro went: To go boldly where no one has gone before ... and plant turnips?
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