An earmark from two state Democrats would study how plants could live on the moon and Mars.
Reps. G.K. Butterfield of Wilson and Bob Etheridge of Lillington both requested $1 million for researchers at N.C. State University to "study the effects of lunar and martian environments on plants" in order to find ways for humanity to explore outer space.
In an explanation of the earmark, Butterfield noted that NASA plans to return to the moon before 2020.
"Either basic human needs of food, air, and clean water will have to be resupplied at a high cost and risk or they could be generated by plants as in the earth's biosphere," he
wrote. "Successful research will lead to the ability to provide sustainable life support systems in an extraterrestrial environment."
In his request, Etheridge said the research is "inevitable" and could have "profound implications for Earth agriculture facing challenges of global warming, threats of bioterrorism, and increased human population."
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