Mars astronauts could live in houses made of yeast and jello, say scientists

A paper published on Thursday by a group of researchers from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University describes a method for building structures on Mars that doesn’t rely on energy-intensive heating to turn regolith into building blocks. The team instead turned to bioengineered yeast and gelatin mixed with simulated Mars dirt to 3D print structures. Qiu’s idea is a relatively simple one once you break it down: Take one part yeast bioengineered to produce adhesive proteins that bind the components. Combine with artificial gelatin hydrosol to serve as a growth medium for the yeast. Add plain old Martian dirt, and extrude the material through a 3D-printing nozzle.

Source: theregister.com