When humans return to the moon to stay, where will they live? Well, it turns out they might live in lunar bases made of astronaut pee.
In a new study, researchers have found that urea, the major organic compound found in human urine, could be useful for making concrete for lunar structures.
Obviously, many people might immediately think: Why!? We seem to have no issue making concrete without urine in it here on Earth, why would urea be important in making concrete on the moon?
Well, the surface of the moon is a lot harsher than the Earth’s surface. From extreme temperature fluctuations to radiation and the occasional meteorite impact, future astronauts living on the moon’s surface will have to endure much more intense conditions. This means that the buildings they live in will have to be able to withstand the pitfalls of this unique environment.
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Additionally, when considering lunar building materials, researchers have to consider how heavy it might be to transport from Earth to the moon and whether it can be 3D printed, because scientists are currently considering 3D printing as a method for building on the lunar surface.
In this new study, researchers from Norway, Spain, the Netherlands and Italy, in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA), conducted a number of experiments testing the use of urea from human urine as a plasticizer — a substance that can be added to materials like concrete to make it more flexible before it hardens.
Read more: Space
