Scientists have found that food grows better on the Moon than on Mars.

While Elon Musk aims to colonize Mars, recent experiments using extraterrestrial soil indicate that humans may find it significantly easier to survive on the Moon, according to Space.

Scientists have devised several methods for growing food in space. Nevertheless, research continues to explore traditional agricultural practices directly in lunar and Martian soil.

For a new experiment, researchers utilized reconstructed lunar soil created from samples brought back by the Apollo missions. The reconstructed Martian soil was based on data collected by the Curiosity rover, as no samples from Mars have yet been returned to Earth.

According to Laura Lee from Northern Arizona University, USA, the experiments revealed that plants thrive better in lunar soil than in Martian soil, contrary to researchers' initial expectations.

The soil on Mars is rich in nitrogen, an essential component for life, yet it is also very dense and clay-like, which limits the amount of oxygen available to plant roots.

Scientists attempted to grow crops using milorganite, a fertilizer made from thermally treated microbes that process wastewater. It is believed that human waste could be utilized as fertilizer for food production on the Moon and Mars.

Although the study has not yet been published, preliminary results suggest that fertilizers derived from human waste may not yield the desired results.

Corn grown in Martian soil with wastewater-recycling bacteria had a survival rate of 33.3%, while corn grown with pure nitrogen fertilizer, typically used for crops on Earth, achieved a survival rate of 58.8%. This indicates that fertilizers may need to be transported to Mars to offset the low yield.

Currently, scientists are testing broccoli, zucchini, beans, and alfalfa with various fertilizers in Martian and lunar soil to assess their survival rates. Alfalfa grows better in lunar soil than in Martian soil, and researchers believe it could serve as a future fertilizer for space crops. They will also conduct tests on potatoes, which helped the main character in the film "The Martian" survive on the Red Planet.

As past studies have shown, it may take at least 100 years before settlements on Mars become fully self-sufficient and able to sustain their food supply. In contrast, lunar settlements may achieve self-sufficiency in just a few decades. Until then, a significant amount of food will still need to be transported from Earth.