Appropriate technologies are developed and proven over decades of practice. 

Chinese scientists have found a way to turn Martian Sands into fertile soil. To do this, in the future it is proposed to use microalgae, which can “build” on the bare sand a few centimeters of fertile soil for several years.

Appropriate technologies developed and proven by decades of practices to combat desertification in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous region of China. Spraying of microalgae over the lifeless sand allowed to stop the process of desertification over vast territories. Microalgae “cement” sand and begin rapid reproduction, creating soil.

"Usually the formation of a centimeter of soil takes a hundred years, the formation of 20 cm of the soil 2000. However, (through algae) we found a way to build on the bare sand a few centimeters of soil over a matter of years,” – said researcher of the Institute of Hydrobiology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences Liu Yongding.

According to him, the individual suffering from desertification areas of Xinjiang by spraying of microalgae managed to increase the percentage of vegetation cover from 15% to 80% of the territory.

Scientists believe that the use of algae is extremely promising in Martian conditions because they are extremely unpretentious, can withstand UV radiation and drought. In addition, microalgae efficiently produce oxygen: 15 times more common trees, and are an excellent source of protein. These characteristics of microalgae will help resolve many problems the first colonists on Mars, the researchers said. (The Mice Times of Asia)