2020 Online Salon
Space Biomining
Project Details
- Entrant Name: Christine (Si Ting) Shan
- Membership Type: Student Submission
- Other Contributors: Christine Shan
- Address: Toronto, Ontario Canada
- Client: Prof. Marc Dryer
- Copyright: 2020 Christine (Si Ting) Shan
- Medium/software used: Maya, Photoshop, Illustrator
- Final presentation format: Print, Journal cover
- Primary Audience: Educated lay public
Project Description
Biomining is the process of using microbes to extract useful minerals and metals from solid rock. As humans explore other planetary bodies, extraterrestrial biomining offers a way to obtain needed materials locally rather than bringing them from Earth. To harness the power of microbes in space, scientists are studying how microbes grow on and alter planetary rocks in microgravity by simulating Martian gravity. I created this editorial illustration as a journal cover to attract the interest of the educated lay public to read about the corresponding research article. The microbes are depicted like toy miners working on a clay model of Mars.
