Potatoes Could Be Grown on Mars

In the 2015 film “The Martian,” Matt Damon’s character is a scientist left behind on Mars.
在2015年的电影《火星救援》中，马特·达蒙（Matt Damon）饰演的角色是一名滞留在火星的科学家。
He has limited food supplies and not much water. He tries to figure out how to survive so he can be rescued.
食物的补给有限，并且没有多少水。他试图想出如何生存，为了可以得救。
Luckily, he knows how to grow things.And one of the things he grows is a potato plant.
幸运的是，他知道如何种东西。他种植的一样东西是马铃薯。
A year later, scientists in Peru and NASA scientists in California started working together on growing potatoes in a harsh location similar to Mars.
一年后，秘鲁的科学家和加利福尼亚美国航空航天局的科学家开始在环境恶劣的地方种植土豆，那里和火星的环境相似。
They built a container where they could simulate the conditions on Mars.The salty soil came from the southern coast of Peru, where there is very little rain.
他们建造了一个容器，可以使他们模拟出火星的环境。盐渍土产于秘鲁的南部海岸，那里几乎没有降雨。
Inside the “Mars-in-a-box,” the scientists made the air pressure similar to what it is like at 6,000-meters, decreased the temperature below zero, and added carbon monoxide to the air.
科学家在模拟的“火星盒子”中，将空气压力模拟成类似于6000米时的情形，将温度降至零度以下，并向空气中加入一氧化碳。
They made a lighting system that followed Mars’ daytime and nighttime.
他们做了一个照明系统，它遵循火星的白昼和夜间。
They planted 65 types of potato plants, and waited. After a while, four of them grew.
他们种植了65种马铃薯植物，并等待着。过了一会儿，其中的4种生长了。
Later, the scientists took the strongest of the four plants and tried again.This time, they used crushed rocks instead of soil.
之后，科学家拿出4棵植物中最强壮的，并再次尝试。这一次，他们使用的是碎石，而不是土壤。
The plant still grew.
土豆还在生长。
Why is the research being done in Peru?
为什么要在秘鲁进行研究？
You may not know that Peru is known as the birthplace of potato farming.People grew potatoes there about 7,000 years ago. Even in cold, barren parts of Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia, potatoes still grow.
你可能不知道秘鲁是土豆种植的发源地。大约在7000年前，人们在那里种植土豆。即使在秘鲁、厄瓜多尔和玻利维亚寒冷、贫瘠的地区，土豆仍然可以生长。
There is also a potato research center, called the International Potato Center, in the capital city, Lima.
在首都利马还有一个马铃薯研究中心，名为国际马铃薯中心。
The surviving potato in the Mars-in-a box is known as Unique.
“火星盒子”中存活的马铃薯被称为“独特”（Unique）。
It can still grow in freezing climates with high amounts of carbon dioxide.
它仍然可以在含有大量二氧化碳的寒冷气候中生长。
The research is not only for a trip to Mars one day.
该研究不仅仅是为了某天去火星旅行。
It is going to help feed people in parts of the world that are already having trouble planting traditional crops due to climate change.
对因气候变化，在种植传统作物方面遇到困难的人们而言，这将有助于为他们提供食物。
The work is not yet done.
研究工作还没有完成。
The scientists in Peru and California will try to grow more plants in even more difficult conditions.
秘鲁和加利福尼亚的科学家将尝试在更困难的条件下种更多的植物。
I’m Dan Friedell.
丹·弗里德尔为您报道。