Which elements, primarily bonded in silicates within the regolith, are used to create radiation shielding materials?
Answer
Silicon and Oxygen
The Martian regolith contains essential elements locked within its structure that are crucial for establishing safe habitats. Specifically, silicon and oxygen, which are bonded together in silicate minerals, are the raw materials necessary for producing substances like glass, ceramics, and concrete-like composites. These materials are indispensable for constructing effective radiation shielding, a necessary measure to protect settlers from intense cosmic and solar radiation resulting from the thin atmosphere and absence of a global magnetic field.
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