Scientists have created solar cells using simulated Moon dust, potentially solving one of space exploration's biggest challenges: how to generate reliable energy far from Earth. These new cells, made with perovskite and moonglass,

Solar panels that are 99% Moon dust could be a low-cost solution to powering a future lunar base 1. To survive in the harsh environment on the Moon, solar cells must be encapsulated in glass, which tends to make them heavy and therefore expensive to launch into space.

Researchers used a synthetic version of moon dust to build working solar panels, which could eventually be created within – and used to power – a moon base of the future