Hydroponics is important to the future of any space program. NASA has extensive hydroponics research plans in place, which could benefit current space exploration as well as future long-term colonization of Mars or the moon. Additionally, we have not yet found soil that can support life in space and the logistics of transporting soil via the space shuttles seems impractical so hydroponics could be key to the future of space exploration. The benefits of hydroponics in space are three-fold: It offers the potential for a larger variety of food in a confined space while providing a biological aspect called a bioregenerative life support system. This simply means that as the plants grow, they will absorb carbon dioxide and stale air while supplying renewed oxygen through the plant's natural growing process. Many common household plants are very efficient at filtering airborne toxins such as trichloroetheyene (TCE), benzene, formaldehyde and other hazardous indoor pollutants. Water transpired by the plants can also be collected and used as drinking water for the crew. Controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) such as hydroponics is essential for long-range space flight as well as the habitation of space stations and other planets. Realizing this, researchers are working to design human life-support systems for these missions and these hydroponic methods are already changing how we garden and conduct basic plant research here on Earth.