New Delhi, India

In a new study, a team of planetary scientists and engineers from Western University's Institute for Earth and Space Exploration in Canada have proposed a unique possibility of making food for space travellers using asteroids. 

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No, this does not mean they suggested that the space travellers eat some rocks, they rather suggested feeding bacteria to asteroid material that can lead to the growth of edible biomass, which will help in making food.

The study was published in the paper "International Journal of Astrobiology". In the paper, the researchers have stated that they have tested how much asteroid material will be required for creating edible biomass.

Also Read: Ceres, largest object in asteroid belt, shows signs of habitability near Ertunet Crater

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This new idea has been proposed by scientists to ensure food safety for astronauts who travel in deep space. 

As per the study, scientists have suggested that asteroids can fulfil the nutritional needs of astronauts.

How will asteroids help produce food in space?

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According to the idea, the carbon content of space rocks will be broken down and will be made into something edible.

There is a need for such food as astronauts carry a limited amount of dried food in space, and space farming has not yet come into existence.

Speaking to The New York Times, engineering professor at Western University in Ontario Joshua Pearce said that asteroids are very similar to plastic.

This study was led by researchers at Michigan Technology University and was taken ahead from a US Department of Defence project that was aimed at making edible food from plastic waste.

The process is called pyrolysis and in this plastic is broken down into oil, solids, and gas.

In a bioreactor, oil is fed to bacteria, which then produce 'biomass' with nutritional properties.

Separate research was conducted by Annemiek Waajen of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam to confirm whether microbes actually eat asteroid material. In this process, microbes were fed pieces of meteorite which fell on Earth. 

In the research, which was published in the journals Astrobiology and Scientific Reports, Dr. Waajen said that the microbes consumed the rocks and then grew.

Watch: Scientists Propose Nuclear Solution To Save Earth From Asteroid Armageddon

After analysing the evidence, Dr. Pearce and his team finalised the asteroid Bennu. 

As per their calculations, if its carbon content gets broken down by microbes, it will be able to support an astronaut for at least 600 years.

"It is something that’s still a long way away," said Dr. Waajen, who was not part of the research.

However, scientists need to carry out toxicity tests of these biomass meals and ensure it is safe for the astronauts.

(With inputs from agencies)