Hot Take: Which bricks to use when building a house on the moon?

Ever thought about building a house on the moon? Well, that might not be sci-fi for much longer. But with weaker surface gravity and no atmosphere, can we really use the same building materials used on Earth?

Turns out, China might already have an answer.

China's Shenzhou-21 spacecraft returned to Earth on November 14, bringing back the Shenzhou-20 crew and, unexpectedly, experimental "lunar soil bricks."

These 34 tiny bricks, about 100 grams in total, were made from material that mimics real lunar soil. Scientists pressed them, zapped them with electromagnetic induction, and even microwaved them into shape. 

They have a density similar to ordinary bricks, but their compressive strength is over three times that of standard red or concrete bricks, meaning every square centimeter can handle more than 1 tonne of weight.

To test them further, the bricks spent a full year in space, facing extreme radiation and huge temperature swings. And after inspection? They came back in surprisingly good condition.

This could mark a real engineering breakthrough as China advances its lunar goals: landing taikonauts on the moon by 2030 and building a basic International Lunar Research Station by 2035.

The "lunar soil bricks" still must undergo multiple tests before they can take on the heavy-duty of building houses on the moon. But looks like it's time for you to start sketching out your future moon house.

Cover image: Sha Yunjin