Seeds grown on the Moon

[Becky]

How incredible is this? For the first time ever, seeds have been sprouted on the Moon by China's Chang'e 4 lander. Plants have previously been grown in low Earth orbit, but this is the first time that seeds have sprouted on a celestial body that is not Earth. Extra-terrestrial life!

China's Moon mission sees first seeds sprout

 

[nivrip]

Always like to see science push further forward and this is truly something new.

However, these seeds are not actually growing ON the Moon in Moonlike conditions. They are growing in a spacecraft, which is sitting on the Moon, in conditions that are similar to Earthlike conditions and this is not really any different to growing seeds in any spacecraft with Earthlike conditions anywhere in the Universe. I'm not wishing to be a grump and not knocking what's been achieved but I don't see this as a HUGE leap forward.

Nice propaganda coup for the Chinese though.

 

[muckshifter]

We'll put men on the moon one day.

 

[Abarbarian]

We'll put men on the moon one day.

Which one ? Saturn Pluto etc etc

 

[Becky]

Always like to see science push further forward and this is truly something new.

However, these seeds are not actually growing ON the Moon in Moonlike conditions. They are growing in a spacecraft, which is sitting on the Moon, in conditions that are similar to Earthlike conditions and this is not really any different to growing seeds in any spacecraft with Earthlike conditions anywhere in the Universe. I'm not wishing to be a grump and not knocking what's been achieved but I don't see this as a HUGE leap forward.

Nice propaganda coup for the Chinese though.

I see what you're saying, but the seeds first had to survive in a dormant state during a difficult journey (g-forces at launch, radiation in space etc), and were only revived once watered after the lander had reached the surface. Gravity is 1/10th that of here on Earth, so germination and sprouting was not assured. Even having sprouted, the sprouts will not survive long because the lander will not be able to protect them from the temperature changes of day/night. I guess it's testament to the skill of the scientists and engineers that something so incredible can look so easy

 

[nivrip]

Sad news...………………..

https://www.npr.org/2019/01/17/6861...over-dies-couldnt-cotton-to-lunar-environment

Always sad when experiments end for the wrong reasons.

 

[Becky]

Sad news...………………..

https://www.npr.org/2019/01/17/6861...over-dies-couldnt-cotton-to-lunar-environment

Always sad when experiments end for the wrong reasons.

Erm this was always the intention. The experiment was to see if seeds could be brought out or dormancy and sprout when watered, and it was successful. That's a misleading, clickbait article

 

[nivrip]

Erm this was always the intention.

Doh !! Didn't realise that. Must read the small print in future.

Thought that we were about to have Chinese cotton plantations on the Moon.

 

[Becky]

Thought that we were about to have Chinese cotton plantations on the Moon.

IIRC the reason the wanted to test these seeds in particular was that they are all potentially useful for long term bases - cotton for clothes, rapeseed for oil, and potatoes for food.

Anyone seen The Martian?!

 

[nivrip]

Anyone seen The Martian?!

Yeah, seem to remember he got stuff growing in the Martian soil for a while so should be a doddle on the Moon.

 

[Becky]

Yeah, seem to remember he got stuff growing in the Martian soil for a while so should be a doddle on the Moon.

I love that film! There's another book by the same author called Artemis, it's set on the moon. I'm really hoping it gets made into a film too, it's a great story.

 

[nivrip]

And have you seen the film simply called Moon, directed, I think, by David Bowie's son. Great story and, by God, does it make you think about reality.

 

[Becky]

And have you seen the film simply called Moon, directed, I think, by David Bowie's son. Great story and, by God, does it make you think about reality.

Yes I have - great film! I didn't know much about it at all, so had very low expectations. Really enjoyed it!