Hasta La Ideas

Since the cost of shipping resources to the moon remains prohibitively high, planning for long stints—or even habitation—requires savvy, as the rugged surface (aka regolith) restricts growth. Earlier this year, researchers found that, when mixed with moon dirt, astronaut urine could be a remarkably useful building material. When urea, “the second-most common compound in human urine after water” is blended with the dirt, the resulting geopolymer (an eco-friendly material, often used instead of traditional concrete) could be employed for various structures and even landing pads. Once filtered, urine can also be consumed or used for growing food. As Ars Technica puts it, pee will be a “hot” commodity. Read more there.