China takes Harvest Moon to a higher level, growing cotton on the real moon



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The Chinese probe Chang'e-4 landed on the dark side of the moon on Jan. 3 and began a biology experiment to cultivate plants on the lunar surface.

The Chang'e-4 probe is two parts that are both a lunar rover and a lander. The latter carries a handful of experiments to conduct on the Moon, according to The edge.

Research on cotton takes place inside a 6-kg tin that contains four seeds to plant on the moon. The seeds are intended for rapeseed, potato, Arabidopsis and cotton. Yeast, soil, water and fruit fly eggs form a miniature ecosystem. A team of researchers from Chongqing University in southwestern China designed the experiment, reports the GBTimes.

First in the history of humanity: a cotton seed brought to the moon by the Chinese probe Chang'e 4 has sprouted, as shown by the last photo testing the first biological experiment of humanity on the moon pic.twitter.com/CSSbgEoZmC

– People's Daily, China (@PDChina) January 15, 2019

On January 3, after the lander landed on the surface of the Moon, he began this special experience. China shared the image of growing cotton with the world on January 7th.

The picture is that of the small ecosystem and cotton growing. It does not seem that the other plants are still growing.

China is also restoring the Earth's ecosystem as a control subject, which compares the experience to its performance in a standard environment. The terrestrial plant has grown considerably more than its lunar counterpart.

A photo of the comparison experience on Earth.

The team that conducted the research was granted the right to do so through a contest gathering more than 200 student applications. GBTimes.

The astronauts have already grown flora on the International Space Station, but this is the first time that something has developed while fighting the temperature changes and the low gravity of the Moon.

Source: People's Daily China, GBTimes, The Verge

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