Space agencies around the world have largely focused on growing crops in microgravity as a means to support settlements on the Moon and Mars, but a recent discovery could save millions here on Earth.

Outside of our atmosphere, high radiation levels and severe temperature swings, cause stress at the genetic level in bacteria, microbes, and even seedlings. Excess radiation and harsh conditions have mutated plant DNA to withstand these extremes, making them much tougher than their Earthly counterparts.

As our terrestrial environment continues to evolve, hardier seedlings from space could solve a number of problems here on Earth, allowing crops to grow in some of nature’s harshest environments. With hardier seeds, places like the Mojave Desert could become agricultural communities.

To develop this technology further, Nanoracks has established a new team operating out of Houston and Abu Dhabi, committed to off-world AgTech.

Jeffrey Manber, (CEO and Cofounder of Nanoracks), said the team “will be the first dedicated commercial research team focused exclusively on using the space environment for producing hardier agricultural products and more efficient autonomous harvesting techniques.”

With space seeds growing now, cosmic Crops may not be far off.

Chief Mars-chitect and Founder of MCD believes, “Urban farming on Mars can be the key to a thriving destination.” In this year’s Mars City Design Challenge, multidisciplinary global teams share their vision for feeding tomorrow’s thriving society on Mars, and do it sustainably.

Sprawling greenhouses built from locally sourced materials for interplanetary food production.

Wonder if they’ll grow Matt Damon’s Potatoes? Would you eat veggies from space? Lettuce know…