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With exorbitant costs to transport materials from Earth, researchers are exploring innovative and sustainable alternatives for construction on Mars, taking advantage of local resources and surprisingly… the human body itself!
Building on Mars with human blood? The red planet is no longer just a subject of science fiction films, but has become one of the greatest challenges of modern engineering and architecture. Researchers are exploring innovative ways to make human colonization in such a hostile environment possible. What if the solution to building on Mars lay in the human body itself?
Transporting materials from Earth to Mars is astronomically expensive — it’s estimated that shipping a single brick can cost up to $2 million. This challenging reality has led scientists to seek more affordable and sustainable alternatives that use local resources and, surprisingly, human bodily fluids.
The hidden treasure of the red planet
Martian soil, known as regolith, is a fine mineral dust that is abundant on the planet. This material is considered promising for construction on Mars, but its natural structure is too brittle to be used alone.
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This is where a creative solution proposed by researchers at Kharazmi University in Iran comes in: mixing regolith with a protein found in human blood, serum albumin. This combination results in a material called AstroCrete, whose strength is comparable to traditional concrete.
The idea is inspired by ancient Roman techniques, when stonemasons added animal blood to mortar to increase its durability. On Mars, modern technology would allow us to replicate this approach, harnessing albumin to create strong, durable structures.
Blood, sweat and urine: the ingredients in AstroCrete
The human body’s contribution doesn’t stop at blood. Studies suggest that adding urea — found in urine and sweat — to AstroCrete can increase its strength by up to 300%. These advances make the material a viable option for construction on Mars, especially considering the difficulties of transporting resources.
However, it is not all that simple. The production of AstroCrete depends directly on the availability of body fluids. Each astronaut could donate enough plasma to make just a small amount of concrete every 72 weeks. This means that building a single dwelling would require the combined efforts of several Martian colonists.
3D printing and other alternatives
To make the process more efficient, technologies such as print 3D could be used in the manufacture of structures with AstroCrete. In addition, the presence of calcium carbonate on Mars could serve as a complement to create an even more resistant mortar.
Other solutions are also being studied, such as the use of polymer-based or sulfur-based concrete. Despite this, AstroCrete stands out for its direct reproduction from local and renewable resources, eliminating the need for massive transportation of materials from Earth.
The challenges of colonization and the sacrifices of the pioneers
Using bodily fluids to build on Mars may sound like something out of a science fiction story, but it reflects the real challenges of colonizing another planet. The first Martian colonists will have to be incredibly self-sufficient, using all resources — including their own bodies — to ensure their survival and the progress of their mission.
While this approach requires sacrifice, it also symbolizes human adaptation to the extreme conditions of the Red Planet. Furthermore, solutions like AstroCrete highlight the creativity and innovation needed to meet the challenges of building an extraterrestrial future.
Building on Mars with human blood
As research continues, the idea of building on Mars with human blood is more than just a scientific curiosity. It represents the quest for self-sufficiency in an environment where every resource counts. While the prospect of using the human body as part of the construction process is challenging, it also symbolizes humanity’s resilience in the face of the adversities of space.
Colonizing the Red Planet is still a distant dream, but innovative solutions like AstroCrete are bringing this dream closer to reality. As scientists continue to explore new possibilities, the idea of building a home on Mars becomes increasingly plausible. And who knows? One day, human blood could be the foundation of a new world.
It could only be an Arab idea…