Cottoning on: Chinese seed sprouts on moon

Cottoning on: Chinese seed sprouts on moon

News

Chinese researchers have announced that cotton seeds transported to the moon have sprouted, marking the first time humans have grown biological matter on moon.

Important Facts

1. The seeds were sent as part of China’s Change-4 mission, a probe which landed on the far side of the moon recently.
2. Along with cotton seeds, the biological growth experiments on the lunar surface included rapeseed, potato, and Arabidopsis seeds, as well as fruit fly eggs and yeast
3. About Change 4 Mission

• Change 4 is a part of China’s Lunar Exploration programme and seeks to explore the far side or dark side of the moon.
• Chang’e-4 will be the second Chinese probe to land on the moon following the Yutu (“Jade Rabbit”) rover mission in 2013.