Space savers: astronaut urine could make supplies from nutrients to tools

Urine, faeces and breath could be recycled to produce food supplements and plastics for 3D printing, freeing up space on long journeys, say researchers

Astronauts could find themselves eating nutrients and using plastics produced by yeast fed with their own urine, according to researchers exploring ways to harness human waste in space.

Urine is already recycled on board the International Space Station to provide clean drinking water for US astronauts - although the system hasn't been embraced by the Russian side of the station.