Dinner on Mars

Starred review from July 18, 2022
Food scientists Newman (Lost Feast) and Fraser (Empires of Food) imagine what it would take to feed a colony on Mars in this fun survey. The same methods that will make feeding a Martian colony possible will also allow Earthlings to feed themselves in a more economic, ecological, and egalitarian way, they posit. Indeed, many technologies required on the Red Planet make sense on Earth—cyanobacteria will be “bred to turn the nitrogen and carbon dioxide in Mars’s atmosphere into organic molecules” and can help with excess carbon dioxide on Earth, and hydroponic beds can be used to grow crops. Neither grains nor livestock will be an option, but the authors point out the potential of some exciting lab-grown Earth-style meat and dairy options at the cutting edge of food science. Their investigation culminates in an imagined evening out in “BaseTown,” Mars’s main metropolis, replete with outfits made of cultured silk and a menu of locally sourced lettuce, tuna, and red beans. The authors sagely advise that on both Mars and Earth, policies that prioritize biodiversity and human labor will have to back up the tech. This culinary cosmic outing is as creative as it is informative. Agent: Tim Travaglini, Transatlantic Agency.