Scientists for the first time have grown seeds in the soil samples from the moon retrieved during NASA missions in 1969 and 1972.
Basic facts
- Researchers planted seeds of a diminutive flowering weed called Arabidopsis thaliana in 12 small thimble-sized containers each bearing a gram of moon soil, more properly called lunar regolith.
- They monitored the seeds as they sprouted and grew.
- Lunar regolith, with its sharp particles and lack of organic material, differs greatly from Earth soil.
- Every seed germinated and there were no outward differences at the early stages of growth between those sown in the regolith – composed mostly of crushed basalt rocks – and seeds sown for comparative reasons in volcanic ash from Earth with similar mineral composition and particle size.
- Arabidopsis, also called thale cress, is widely used in scientific research, including previous experiments in orbit, owing to its speedy life cycle and a deep understanding of its genetics.
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