Why should astronauts grow and eat Caulerpa taxifolia, the world's biggest single-celled organism?

Caulerpa taxifolia, an algae species popular with aquarium owners, is the largest single-celled organism known to us as of today. It is notable for being able to regenerate from any part of the body and shows structures mirroring normal plant organs, with RNA differing throughout different parts of the organism. It is an invasive species.

In my story, the (zero-G and centrifugal) STL habitats and colony ships of a giant settlement fleet as well surface stations on inhospitable planets extensively farm C. taxifolia for the purpose of human nutrition and feeding cattle.

My question is:

• Why should C. taxifolia be utilized as the primary nourishing plant in a hard sci-fi, outer-space environment? Which advantages does its macromonocellular structure encompass?

posted almost 6 years ago

MedwedianPresident‭

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