Scientists working on ways for farmers to grow crops on Mars and the moon; presumably to give the whalers someone to talk to

Science fiction fans are not the only ones attracted by the possibility of studying another planet for colonization. Scientists are engaged in many research projects focused on identifying the planet upon which mankind could exist as it does on earth. Mars, for example, may have had liquid water on its surface (or might have some now), and one day could become a home-away-from-home for future travelers.

"The colonial impulse of new land is intrinsic in human beings," said Giacomo Certini, a researcher at the Department of Plant, Soil and Environmental Science (DiPSA) at the University of Florence, Italy. "So to expand our horizon to other worlds is not considered strange at all..."

People who go to Mars, either to visit or settle down, may have to use the resources of the planet rather than bringing everything they need with them on a spaceship. But remember that agriculture on another planet would happen in an 'ecosystem' that is very different from Earth's!  Researchers from the University of Palermo, Italy, recently published a study in planetary science and space that makes encouraging statements about the future of space colonization. They say that the surface of Venus, Mars and the moon (for example) appear suitable for certain methods of agriculture.

However, one of the first obstacles in considering the planetary surface, and its usefulness in space exploration, is to develop a definition of 'land'.  This has been a subject of much debate.  According to the proceedings of the 19th World Congress of Soil Science held in Brisbane, Australia, in August, Donald Johnson and Diana Johnson proposed a "universal definition of the land." They determined the land is "at or near the substrate surface and similar bodies altered by chemical, biological, and / or physical agents and processes."  On Earth, the five elements work together in the formation of soil: parent material, climate, topography, time and organisms (or organisms in an area such as its flora and fauna) . That last factor is still a subject of debate among scientists.  The definition implies that land can only exist in the presence of the organism. Some argue that land is a 'document' containing information about the history of its environment, and that the presence of life is not a necessity.

One of the main applications of land on other planets will be it's use for agriculture to grow food and sustain any populations that may one day live there. Some scientists, however, question whether the land is indeed a necessary condition for cultivation space.

Crops without soil - It is not science fiction

Crops without soil can conjure up images from a "Star Trek" movie, but it's hardly science fiction.  Aeroponics, is a process of soilless cultivation - i.e. the development of plants in an environment without air or mist and/or with very little soil and water. Scientists have been experimenting with such methods since the early 1940s, and aeroponics systems have been used on a commercial basis since 1983.  In 1997, NASA experimented with a system of plant growth (without soil) onboard the Mir Space Station.  Using this method to grow plants in space will reduce the amount of water needed for interplanetary travel, thereby reducing the load.  Aeroponically crops can also be a source of oxygen and water for the crew of space.  And who knows... maybe they can someday change the planet itself!  But seriously, how likely is that?