English Lesson Log 128
Vegetable gardens tested for Mars -level 3
8th August, 2017
Scientists are trying to get humans to Mars. Researchers from the U.S. space agancy NASA are currently trying to find out what kind of plants could grow in the red soil on Mars. They hope that astronauts will be able to start growing their own food on the Red planet. The journey to Mars could take up to two-and-a-half years. The astronauts will need to take a lot of food with them just to last for the journey. They will never be able to return to Earth, which means they will need to grow their own fruit, vegetables and other plants from seeds. NASA said there could be a problem because Mars doesn’t have soil that is good for growing things. It just has red dust.
Humans may be on their way to Mars in the next 15 years. NASA has been testing special “Martian gardens" to see what kind of things might grow on Mars. They have used a special soil made up of crushed volcanic rock. It contains no nutrients or organic material, so it is similar to the soil on Mars. The scientists managed to grow lettuce in it. They said the lettuce tasted normal, but it had weaker roots and took longer to grow. They will now try growing other vegetables. A NASA spolesman said: “Discoveries made in these Earth-based 'Martian gardens’ will pave the way for future studies and technology development in terms of reliable, efficient food producting a long way from [Earth]."
Vocabulary list
get humans to Mars
space agency
astronaut
last for …続けるため（このlastは動詞）
make up of …構成する
crushed …粉砕された
volcanic …火山の
contain …含む
nutrient …栄養物
organic material …有機物
manage to do sth. …何とかやり遂げる
spokesman
earth-based …地球由来の
pave the way for …道を切り開く、道を準備する
in terms of …～の視点からは、～に関しては
lettuce …レタス
discovery …発見
reliable …頼もしい
efficieng …効果的な
Martian gardens …火星の庭
Advertisements
