Closed ecological systems are self-regulating biological processes in which matter cycles internally with minimal or no exchange of material with the external environment, while energy transfer (typically light or heat) may still occur. These systems integrate biogeochemical cycles, primary production, respiration, decomposition, and microbial nutrient recycling to maintain homeostasis of gases, water, and essential elements. Biological processes within closed ecological systems include autotrophic carbon fixation, trophic energy transfer, symbiotic interactions, and feedback-regulated population dynamics, all constrained by finite resource pools and carrying capacity. Such systems are studied to understand ecosystem resilience, stability, and the functional coupling of biological and physicochemical processes under strictly bounded conditions.
The Space Aquaculture Project at Okayama University of Science is an ambitious research initiative aimed at cultivating fish and crustaceans on the moon and Mars, which are expected to serve as food production bases for future ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 13, 2026
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Astronauts on long space missions may one day use plants to produce fresh stocks of medicines on demand, thanks to new research by engineers at the University of California San Diego. The team developed a simple method to ...
Space Exploration
Jun 8, 2026
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19
By studying life deep inside a former gold mine, a Northwestern University-led team of scientists has uncovered evidence that Earth's hidden biosphere operates less like a random collection of microbes and more like an organized ...
Ecology
Jun 3, 2026
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Around the world, people watched NASA's Artemis II mission in awe as humans returned to lunar orbit for the first time since 1972.
Space Exploration
May 30, 2026
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19
The question sounds simple. The answer, once you examine the actual measurement science behind it, is more interesting than either "yes" or "no."
Environment
May 7, 2026
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Four humans recently looped around the moon. Their vessel, an Artemis capsule, was a thin metal shell whose life-support system kept them alive: it provided a carefully balanced atmosphere, a closed water loop, a finite supply ...
Space Exploration
May 6, 2026
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For the first time since the Apollo era, humans are preparing not just to visit the moon, but to live and work there for weeks, months—and eventually years.
Space Exploration
Apr 2, 2026
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27
Take a typical fish out of the water and it won't live long. It gets the oxygen it needs from the water it swims in. In a similar way, scientists are exploring dependency as a method of controlling what microbes can do and ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 2, 2026
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The Artemis II mission launches this week as a first step toward returning to the moon and reaching Mars. Materials scientist Debbie Senesky explains the material tech that makes these missions possible.
Space Exploration
Apr 1, 2026
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13
A research team from the Center for Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM), the Department of Environmental Process Engineering (UVT) at the University of Bremen and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) has made significant ...
Space Exploration
Mar 20, 2026
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