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First green leaf on moon dies as temperatures plummet
The appearance of a single green leaf hinted at a future in which astronauts would grow their own food in space, potentially setting up residence at outposts on the moon or other planets. Now, barely after it had sprouted, the cotton plant onboard China’s lunar rover has died.
The plant relied on sunlight at the moon’s surface, but as night arrived at the lunar far side and temperatures plunged as low as -170C, its short life came to an end.
Prof Xie Gengxin of Chongqing University, who led the design of the experiment, said its short lifespan had been anticipated. “Life in the canister would not survive the lunar night,” Xie said.
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First Green Leaf on Moon Dies as Temperatures Plummet
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It's not reality that's important, but how you perceive things.
(Score: 2) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Friday January 18 2019, @03:47PM
I expect the Chinese lunar landers weight budget was far too low
That the ISS grew lettuce in zero gravity did not imply that it was ediibe: it’s well documented that forms of living tissue rely critically on gravity, otherwise human babies would be born as a puddle of goo.
So that lettuce was returned to earth to be tested, but happily was found to be edible.
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]