Algae Bioplastic for Mars Construction Opens Space Materials Market
The success of 'wild bioplastic made of algae' in a Mars pressure test signifies a breakthrough in sustainable materials for space exploration. This opens immense opportunities in the nascent but growing market for off-world manufacturing and construction. Companies can invest in research and development for space-grade bioplastics, 3D printing technologies for extraterrestrial environments, and resource utilization methods (ISRU) that leverage organic materials for human settlements on other planets.
Origin Reddit Post
r/futurology
This wild bioplastic made of algae just aced a Mars pressure test. Can astronauts use it to build on the Red Planet?
Posted by u/upyoars•07/21/2025
Top Comments
u/Equivalent-Artist899
Do you think that we might be the ancient alien species that we portray in sci-fi? We are planning on seeding another planet and building robots with AI. I was born in the wrong timeline.
u/Equivalent-Artist899
Imagine being alive in 200 years, I wonder if we’ll achieve a utopian ideal for humanity l
u/upyoars
> In a potential milestone for space exploration, scientists have successfully grown algae under simulated Martian conditions using equipment made from biodegradable bioplastics — a step t
u/FuturologyBot
The following submission statement was provided by /u/upyoars:
---
> In a potential milestone for space exploration, scientists have successfully grown algae under simulated Martian cond
u/upyoars
> In a potential milestone for space exploration, scientists have successfully grown algae under simulated Martian conditions using equipment made from biodegradable bioplastics — a step t
u/JibberJim
So a sort of red weed designed to help colonise a planet, good to see them taking inspiration from the less dystopian sci-fi.
Need to make sure there's no bacteria on mars that'll defeat it
u/FuturologyBot
The following submission statement was provided by /u/upyoars:
---
> In a potential milestone for space exploration, scientists have successfully grown algae under simulated Martian cond
u/Equivalent-Artist899
Do you think that we might be the ancient alien species that we portray in sci-fi? We are planning on seeding another planet and building robots with AI. I was born in the wrong timeline.
u/Kinexity
It's possible that you will be. AI will allow us to push science forward faster than ever before so life extension is not off the table in the next few decades.
u/Equivalent-Artist899
Imagine being alive in 200 years, I wonder if we’ll achieve a utopian ideal for humanity l
u/D-Stecks
I just don't understand the fascination with colonizing Mars. The Moon is enormously more practical in every way, unless it turns out it doesn't have enough gravity to stop our bones from bre
u/Kinexity
It's possible that you will be. AI will allow us to push science forward faster than ever before so life extension is not off the table in the next few decades.
u/Equivalent-Artist899
Imagine being alive in 200 years, I wonder if we’ll achieve a utopian ideal for humanity l
u/upyoars
> In a potential milestone for space exploration, scientists have successfully grown algae under simulated Martian conditions using equipment made from biodegradable bioplastics — a step t
u/avdpos
Given the age of universe I believe it is much more likely that we are the ancients than any other way around
u/Equivalent-Artist899
Do you think that we might be the ancient alien species that we portray in sci-fi? We are planning on seeding another planet and building robots with AI. I was born in the wrong timeline.
u/upyoars
> In a potential milestone for space exploration, scientists have successfully grown algae under simulated Martian conditions using equipment made from biodegradable bioplastics — a step t
u/Equivalent-Artist899
Imagine being alive in 200 years, I wonder if we’ll achieve a utopian ideal for humanity l
u/JibberJim
So a sort of red weed designed to help colonise a planet, good to see them taking inspiration from the less dystopian sci-fi.
Need to make sure there's no bacteria on mars that'll defeat it
u/FuturologyBot
The following submission statement was provided by /u/upyoars:
---
> In a potential milestone for space exploration, scientists have successfully grown algae under simulated Martian cond
u/upyoars
> In a potential milestone for space exploration, scientists have successfully grown algae under simulated Martian conditions using equipment made from biodegradable bioplastics — a step t
u/JibberJim
So a sort of red weed designed to help colonise a planet, good to see them taking inspiration from the less dystopian sci-fi.
Need to make sure there's no bacteria on mars that'll defeat it
u/avdpos
Given the age of universe I believe it is much more likely that we are the ancients than any other way around
u/FuturologyBot
The following submission statement was provided by /u/upyoars:
---
> In a potential milestone for space exploration, scientists have successfully grown algae under simulated Martian cond
u/FuturologyBot
The following submission statement was provided by /u/upyoars:
---
> In a potential milestone for space exploration, scientists have successfully grown algae under simulated Martian cond
u/avdpos
Given the age of universe I believe it is much more likely that we are the ancients than any other way around
u/D-Stecks
I just don't understand the fascination with colonizing Mars. The Moon is enormously more practical in every way, unless it turns out it doesn't have enough gravity to stop our bones from bre
u/JibberJim
So a sort of red weed designed to help colonise a planet, good to see them taking inspiration from the less dystopian sci-fi.
Need to make sure there's no bacteria on mars that'll defeat it
u/Equivalent-Artist899
Do you think that we might be the ancient alien species that we portray in sci-fi? We are planning on seeding another planet and building robots with AI. I was born in the wrong timeline.
u/Kinexity
It's possible that you will be. AI will allow us to push science forward faster than ever before so life extension is not off the table in the next few decades.
u/Equivalent-Artist899
Imagine being alive in 200 years, I wonder if we’ll achieve a utopian ideal for humanity l
u/upyoars
> In a potential milestone for space exploration, scientists have successfully grown algae under simulated Martian conditions using equipment made from biodegradable bioplastics — a step t
u/JibberJim
So a sort of red weed designed to help colonise a planet, good to see them taking inspiration from the less dystopian sci-fi.
Need to make sure there's no bacteria on mars that'll defeat it
u/D-Stecks
I just don't understand the fascination with colonizing Mars. The Moon is enormously more practical in every way, unless it turns out it doesn't have enough gravity to stop our bones from bre
u/Equivalent-Artist899
Imagine being alive in 200 years, I wonder if we’ll achieve a utopian ideal for humanity l
u/FuturologyBot
The following submission statement was provided by /u/upyoars:
---
> In a potential milestone for space exploration, scientists have successfully grown algae under simulated Martian cond
u/D-Stecks
I just don't understand the fascination with colonizing Mars. The Moon is enormously more practical in every way, unless it turns out it doesn't have enough gravity to stop our bones from bre
u/JibberJim
So a sort of red weed designed to help colonise a planet, good to see them taking inspiration from the less dystopian sci-fi.
Need to make sure there's no bacteria on mars that'll defeat it
u/avdpos
Given the age of universe I believe it is much more likely that we are the ancients than any other way around
u/JibberJim
So a sort of red weed designed to help colonise a planet, good to see them taking inspiration from the less dystopian sci-fi.
Need to make sure there's no bacteria on mars that'll defeat it
u/FuturologyBot
The following submission statement was provided by /u/upyoars:
---
> In a potential milestone for space exploration, scientists have successfully grown algae under simulated Martian cond
u/FuturologyBot
The following submission statement was provided by /u/upyoars:
---
> In a potential milestone for space exploration, scientists have successfully grown algae under simulated Martian cond
u/upyoars
> In a potential milestone for space exploration, scientists have successfully grown algae under simulated Martian conditions using equipment made from biodegradable bioplastics — a step t
u/FuturologyBot
The following submission statement was provided by /u/upyoars:
---
> In a potential milestone for space exploration, scientists have successfully grown algae under simulated Martian cond
u/D-Stecks
I just don't understand the fascination with colonizing Mars. The Moon is enormously more practical in every way, unless it turns out it doesn't have enough gravity to stop our bones from bre
u/avdpos
Given the age of universe I believe it is much more likely that we are the ancients than any other way around
u/avdpos
Given the age of universe I believe it is much more likely that we are the ancients than any other way around
u/Equivalent-Artist899
Imagine being alive in 200 years, I wonder if we’ll achieve a utopian ideal for humanity l
u/Equivalent-Artist899
Do you think that we might be the ancient alien species that we portray in sci-fi? We are planning on seeding another planet and building robots with AI. I was born in the wrong timeline.
u/JibberJim
So a sort of red weed designed to help colonise a planet, good to see them taking inspiration from the less dystopian sci-fi.
Need to make sure there's no bacteria on mars that'll defeat it
u/avdpos
Given the age of universe I believe it is much more likely that we are the ancients than any other way around
u/Equivalent-Artist899
Do you think that we might be the ancient alien species that we portray in sci-fi? We are planning on seeding another planet and building robots with AI. I was born in the wrong timeline.
u/JibberJim
So a sort of red weed designed to help colonise a planet, good to see them taking inspiration from the less dystopian sci-fi.
Need to make sure there's no bacteria on mars that'll defeat it
u/D-Stecks
I just don't understand the fascination with colonizing Mars. The Moon is enormously more practical in every way, unless it turns out it doesn't have enough gravity to stop our bones from bre
u/Kinexity
It's possible that you will be. AI will allow us to push science forward faster than ever before so life extension is not off the table in the next few decades.
u/Equivalent-Artist899
Do you think that we might be the ancient alien species that we portray in sci-fi? We are planning on seeding another planet and building robots with AI. I was born in the wrong timeline.
u/Equivalent-Artist899
Do you think that we might be the ancient alien species that we portray in sci-fi? We are planning on seeding another planet and building robots with AI. I was born in the wrong timeline.
u/Equivalent-Artist899
Imagine being alive in 200 years, I wonder if we’ll achieve a utopian ideal for humanity l
u/Kinexity
It's possible that you will be. AI will allow us to push science forward faster than ever before so life extension is not off the table in the next few decades.
u/upyoars
> In a potential milestone for space exploration, scientists have successfully grown algae under simulated Martian conditions using equipment made from biodegradable bioplastics — a step t
u/avdpos
Given the age of universe I believe it is much more likely that we are the ancients than any other way around
u/Kinexity
It's possible that you will be. AI will allow us to push science forward faster than ever before so life extension is not off the table in the next few decades.
u/D-Stecks
I just don't understand the fascination with colonizing Mars. The Moon is enormously more practical in every way, unless it turns out it doesn't have enough gravity to stop our bones from bre
u/Kinexity
It's possible that you will be. AI will allow us to push science forward faster than ever before so life extension is not off the table in the next few decades.
u/Kinexity
It's possible that you will be. AI will allow us to push science forward faster than ever before so life extension is not off the table in the next few decades.
u/Equivalent-Artist899
Do you think that we might be the ancient alien species that we portray in sci-fi? We are planning on seeding another planet and building robots with AI. I was born in the wrong timeline.
u/avdpos
Given the age of universe I believe it is much more likely that we are the ancients than any other way around
u/upyoars
> In a potential milestone for space exploration, scientists have successfully grown algae under simulated Martian conditions using equipment made from biodegradable bioplastics — a step t
u/Equivalent-Artist899
Imagine being alive in 200 years, I wonder if we’ll achieve a utopian ideal for humanity l
u/D-Stecks
I just don't understand the fascination with colonizing Mars. The Moon is enormously more practical in every way, unless it turns out it doesn't have enough gravity to stop our bones from bre