Scientists Just Grew a Whole Salad in Antarctica, Without Any Daylight or Soil

没有日照和土壤，科学家在南极种出各种蔬菜

In a step that's getting us closer to off-world farming, scientists on Germany's Neumayer Station III in Antarctica have just harvested a nice big crop of vegetables – a whole 3.6 kg (8 pounds) of salad greens, 18 cucumbers, and 70 radishes.

“诺伊迈尔三号站”是德国在南极洲开设的科学考察站。最近，科学家在那里成功种出许多蔬菜——3.6公斤生菜、18根黄瓜、70根萝卜。看来，人类离太空农业又近了一步。

Even better, the crops, grown in a lab called EDEN-ISS, were produced without dirt, daylight, or pesticides, according to the team.

研究团队表示，这些农作物是在“EDEN-ISS”实验室里种出来的，种植过程没有使用土壤、日照、农药。

Instead, the researchers employed a reusable water cycle and a nutrient system, while optimising LED lighting and carefully monitoring carbon dioxide in the room - based on a method known as hydroponics.

相反，研究人员根据“水培法”，采用可重复利用的水循环系统和营养物系统，同时充分利用LED照明，并仔细监控室内的二氧化碳浓度。

"After sowing the seeds in mid-February, I had to deal with some unexpected problems, such as minor system failures and the strongest storm in more than a year," Paul Zabel, an engineer involved with the project, told dw.com.

今年二月，研究团队播下种子。参与该项目的工程师Paul Zabel表示，播种后出现了一些意料之外的问题，例如：系统出现小故障、科考站遭遇一年多以来最强烈的暴风雪。

"Fortunately, all these things could be fixed and overcome."

但幸运的是，所有问题都可以解决、可以克服。

This is only the start of the harvest, too. The German Aerospace Centre, which coordinates the project, told AP that by May the scientists are hoping to harvest a huge 4-5 kilograms (9-11 pounds) of vegetables a week.

如今，丰收才刚刚开始。“德国航空太空中心”是该项目的负责方。他们表示，到了五月份，科学家预计将每周收获4-5千克的蔬菜。

This isn't the first time researchers have attempted something like this, with the ISS growing space vegetables already back in 2015.

科学家并非首次进行这类研究。早在2015年，国际空间站就曾种出过太空蔬菜。

But this project is focussed on producing a wider mix, such as radishes, salad greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers (capsicum) and even herbs.

不过，这个项目旨在种出更多种类的蔬菜，包括萝卜、生菜、番茄、黄瓜、辣椒、甚至草本植物。

Radishes grown in the greenhouse (DLR)All this in Antarctica, nonetheless. With temperatures outside dropping below -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit), it's pretty amazing that the researchers are producing such a wide range of fruits and vegetables.

要知道，南极洲的室外温度低于零下20度。在这种环境中，研究人员竟然能够成功种出种类丰富的蔬菜瓜果，实在是不可思议。

Now they're just waiting on some berries for dessert.

接下来，他们打算种些草莓，当作饭后点心。

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