Join Cool Science for Science on Tap every 2nd Monday of the month at Jack Quinn’s Irish Pub & Restaurant in downtown Colorado Springs. Presenters begin at 6:30 pm and typically speak for 60-90 minutes including Q&A, with food and drink available beginning at 6:00 pm. A wide variety of fascinating topics are presented by local scientists for informal discussion, and the relaxed atmosphere encourages anyone and everyone to come explore the latest ideas in science and technology. From practical to theoretical, the presentations and group interactions provide a fun and interesting way to gain an understanding of the world around us.
Join Cool Science for Science on Tap every 2nd Monday of the month at Jack Quinn’s Irish Pub & Restaurant in downtown Colorado Springs. Presenters begin at 6:30 pm and typically speak for 60-90 minutes including Q&A, with food and drink available beginning at 6:00 pm. A wide variety of fascinating topics are presented by local scientists for informal discussion, and the relaxed atmosphere encourages anyone and everyone to come explore the latest ideas in science and technology. From practical to theoretical, the presentations and group interactions provide a fun and interesting way to gain an understanding of the world around us.
Next up: Monday, July 14, 2025 at 6:30 pm
Spores in Space: Fungal Bio-Mining for Sustainable Off-World Construction
Joseph M. Bate, UCCS Physics Dept.
Summary: What if the key to sustainable space exploration is…mold? My research team is sending Aspergillus niger—a humble black fungus— to the International Space Station to test its ability to “bio-leach” valuable metals in a microgravity environment. By producing organic acids, these microbes can extract nickel, iron, and other elements without the heavy, power-hungry machinery or chemicals that traditional mining demands. In this interactive talk I’ll unpack the biology, chemistry, and engineering behind fungal biomining, show preliminary Earth-gravity results, and how these strategies will advance building infrastructure, provide rocket fuel, and sustain life in extraterrestrial environments like the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Come learn why the future of space construction (and responsible recycling) might just start in a petri dish.
Joseph is a disabled U.S. Army combat veteran and physics major at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS). He leads undergraduate teams studying mycelium growth and fungal biomining for in-situ resource utilization on the ISS and is pilot-testing an e-waste recycling program at UCCS. A passionate science-outreach advocate, Joseph recently served as a student body senator, a voting member of the Green Action Fund Committee (GAF) and founded the start-up “EV3 Evolving Vital Ecosystems LLC” for sustainable space resource acquisition.
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