According to the actual article the samples acquired and packed before takeoff, and tested after landing. Having them extracted during parabolic maneuver… is due to another (Ig Nobel candidate) research.

honestly maybe when we portray it to the billionaires that Earth is the only place where we can make children they’ll stop fantasising about terraforming Mars and perhaps helps with the mess already here

I disagree. We need to find how to get the same effect while on earth.