Growing beans on Mars with menstrual blood: Hypatia II astronauts complete mission

BarcelonaFull stop in the Hypatia II mission, which has taken seven scientists to the Mars Research Desert Station (MDRS) in the Utah desert in the United States to test their disciplines in conditions almost identical to those found on Mars. From February 2 to 14, the seven astronauts lived with limitations on water, food, mobility, and communications with Earth while testing procedures and tools to investigate areas such as geology and biology, focusing on the female body, which is often forgotten in the aerospace field.

One of the main conclusions they have reached is that menstrual blood can be used as a natural fertilizer for plants in hypothetical greenhouses on the Red Planet. Marina Martínez, geologist and head of the mission's Green Hub, explained this Monday that in the greenhouse of the desert space station they planted small white bean seeds in different pots, some made of glass and others made of cardboard. In half of the canisters, they introduced a mixture of menstrual blood and water to investigate whether it could be used as a natural fertilizer. They observed how the canisters containing menstrual blood produced more roots and sprouted faster than the rest of the samples. Martínez emphasized that there are still no quality studies exploring menstruation as a fertilizer, and that it is an area that requires further research on Earth: "The fact that the plants have not died is already a success as a discovery," she stated.

The mission has also incorporated new lines of research, such as geology. The crew has collected samples from twelve locations in the Utah desert with an X-ray fluorescence gun that allows for instant chemical analysis. With this first analysis, the tool ensures that only the amount of geological material necessary for research is collected, avoiding blind samples that will not be useful later. With the gun, the researchers have managed to identify a series of minerals and rocks that tell the geological history of the site, very similar to Mars.

How does a woman's body react in space?

Only one in ten space mission crew members is a woman, and often the choice is to suppress menstruation through hormonal methods; that is, the woman's body is masculinized rather than adapting to the menstrual cycle. Given this dynamic, Hypatia II has also stood out for being the first mission to use menstrual cups. In fact, they have demonstrated that this option is perfectly compatible with spacesuits. However, some astronauts have not fully felt comfortable using the cup, so other alternatives will be explored for future missions, such as softer silicone cups or other sustainable alternatives, such as natural sponges.

During last February's expedition, the effect that a space mission has on women's bodies was also analyzed. Before and after the mission, the astronauts underwent anthropometry (a study of the dimensions and proportions of the human body), which revealed that the crew members' muscle mass has decreased during the experience, but their weight and strength have remained the same.

In addition to presenting the results of Hypatia II, this Monday the Hypatia Mares association also announced a new mission for 2027. The new expedition will be commanded by aerospace engineer Estela Blay, from the Institute for Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC), and will include Laura González and nanotechnologist Lucía Matamoros. In addition, a call has been opened for six women who wish to be part of this new mission, which will have the collaboration of the La Caixa Foundation. Candidates interested in filling one of the vacancies can submit their project on the Hypatia Mars website until May 31, and the new crew will be announced by the end of 2025.