Scientists are using Gundam Beam Saber-inspired tech that could grow crops in space

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Scientists in Japan are developing technology inspired by a famous weapon from the anime series Gundam to potentially grow crops on the moon.

If you’re not familiar with Gundam, it’s a hugely popular science fiction series from Japan. It centers around massive, human-shaped robots that fight with Beam Sabers – energy swords a bit like lightsabers – using advanced, made-up technology.

Scientists are now trying to turn the idea of lightsabers into a way to help plants grow on the moon, using a technology called plasma.

Gundam-inspired plasma could make farming on the Moon possible

According to Automaton, the project is headed by Professor Toshiro Kaneko, a dedicated Gundam enthusiast with a history of scientific work related to the series. He previously authored “Mobile Suit Gundam Universal Century vs. Modern Science,” a book that examines the potential real-world feasibility of Gundam’s technology.

Instead of building energy swords that cause damage, Kaneko’s team is using plasma technology, similar to Beam Sabers, to help plants flourish.

In the anime Gundam, Beam Sabers are energy weapons powered by a special type of plasma. While real-world plasma isn’t exactly the same, scientists have been inspired by the concept to create a chemical compound called dinitrogen pentoxide. Surprisingly, this compound has shown promise in boosting rice growth and also strengthened the immune systems of small plants called thale cress, helping them fight off diseases and pests.

Building on this success, researchers are now exploring if the same technology can help strawberries grow better, using a solar-powered device that creates plasma.

Kaneko suggests building devices on the Moon that create plasma, which could be used to produce fertilizer. This would significantly reduce the expense of establishing lunar settlements by removing the need to transport large quantities of supplies from Earth. Astronauts could instead manufacture what they need directly on the Moon, utilizing local resources and solar power.

Okay, so this research was actually a big deal – they showed it off at the Osaka Expo last year! It was part of the Gundam exhibit – seriously, they called it ‘Space Agriculture Using the Beam Saber’! It was all about how ideas from Gundam could actually help us grow food in space someday, which is pretty wild to think about. It made me realize that sci-fi could actually become reality when it comes to future space exploration.

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2026-06-12 16:18