Researchers in Hong Kong have developed a 'living' building material that could be used to construct habitats on Mars. The material combines Martian rock with a glue made from gelatin and a specially engineered yeast coated with adhesive proteins similar to those mussels use. The mixture is designed to be 3D-printed, and in simulated Martian conditions it freeze-dries after leaving the nozzle, producing a light, porous foam.
According to a paper in the journal Chem Circularity, the foam has a compressive strength of 10 to 12 megapascals, which the authors say is strong enough for one- or two-story buildings on Earth. Because Mars has about one-third of Earth's gravity, the material could support much taller structures there. The process is less energy-intensive than melting rock into bricks, and yeast from dismantled structures could be recycled for new construction.
Ars Technica highlighted the study in its monthly roundup of overlooked science stories. The work is still experimental—the team 3D-printed small domes the size of wine corks—but it points to a low-energy path for off-world construction.