Shepard & Pistachio
Pistachio
Hey, Shepard, I was just thinking about how old Earth botanists used lichens to purify air on early starships. Got any thoughts on that?
Shepard
Yeah, those lichens were a smart, low‑maintenance fix for early life support. They remind us that even in the cold dark of space, we still need a touch of Earth’s biology to keep us alive. It’s a good reminder that we’re not just firing weapons out here, we’re also tending to our own little ecosystem.
Pistachio
Exactly, lichens are a low‑maintenance biofilter and they thrive on hulls and metal surfaces, fixing CO2 without soil. I’ve been setting up a microclimate to keep them from drying out, but I still think some of the old algae from the moon bases are even more efficient. Have you tried cultivating a mix?
Shepard
I’ve never had to grow algae in a ship’s cabin, but I’ve seen crews run mixed cultures on research vessels. The trick is keeping the humidity up and the light spectrum right. If the algae can coexist with the lichens without one starving the other, you get a more balanced carbon cycle. Just make sure the algae don’t clog the vents or over‑produce oxygen at a time when you need it to stay in check. It’s a good idea to keep a small sample in a separate tank first, then scale up if it stays stable.
Pistachio
That sounds like a solid plan—keep the light spectrum narrow and the vents clear. I’ll start a tiny batch in a glass jar and log the CO₂ and O₂ levels every hour, just to make sure the balance holds. If it stays steady, we can move to a larger bioreactor and maybe add some low‑light moss to mop up any excess. You can’t have too many green friends in a sealed cabin, but a few just right can keep the crew and the ship breathing.