Whitworth chefs gardening in “martian” soil

Inside the cafeteria of Whitworth University is a black indoor-growing tent full of tomatoes, basil, kale, peas, leeks and edible viola flowers. Lights and fans are trained on the plants, and a bag that absorbs carbon dioxide hangs from above. It’s a scene that would make botanist Mark Watney from “The Martian” proud: All of the plants are growing out of what NASA calls JSC Mars-1A – or, soil on Earth similar to Martian soil. It was mined from the Pu’u Nene cinder cone near one of Hawaii’s many long-dormant volcanoes on the Big Island./ Jonathan Glover , SR. More here .