Scientists Prototype Moon House

While scientists in the '60s raced to put a man on the moon, modern scientists want to put a dozen there for three years in 90%-95% self-sufficiency. An Australian team is prototyping Luna Gaia, a space habitat that would use biological systems to recycle materials and grow food, although bored astronauts would have to phone home for luxuries like "fruit salad, spices, or chocolate," says an engineer.

The design bears similarities to Biosphere 2, an attempt to build a self-contained mini-ecosystem in the Arizona desert, reports Cosmos. The habitat still has serious technical hurdles that need to be overcome, such as the mechanics of plant growth and pollination in a closed system—and could also be threatened by the introduction of pathogens or Pauly Shore. (More NASA stories.)