China is using lab-grown microbes, cyanobacteria that thrive in harsh places, to bind and mesh together loose desert sand forming a layer of film that prevents sand from blowing away, according to a February 22 2026 report on Earth.com. Analysis by the Chinese Academy of Sciences says it takes 10-16 months for the crust to stabilize.
According to the Earth.com article, cyanobacteria is an ancient bacteria that is powered by sunlight and air; some species turn nitrogen gas into nutrients for plant life. “The cells ooze sticky sugars between grains, and those sugars harden into a thin, cohesive layer.” Rough pores and dark pigments reduced evaporation.
Lichens and moss adding a tougher surface, are able to grow on this layer, leading to larger plant growth.
https://www.earth.com/news/process-microbes-turn-desert-sand-into-fertile-soil-in-just-10-months/
https://opuntiads.com/oblog/lichens-in-the-desert/
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