A cotton seed sprouted – and died – on China’s Lunar Lander

A cotton seed sprouted – and died – on China’s Lunar Lander


On Tuesday, Chinese media reported that one of the cotton seeds aboard the Chang’e 4 lunar lander sprouted, marking the first time that any biological matter has ever grown on the moon. Unfortunately, the sprout died after nine days upon the beginning of the lander’s first lunar night on Sunday. That’s because temperatures drop to -150 degrees Celsius during lunar nights on the moon, and according to Xie Gengxin, chief designer of the experiment, life inside the canister would simply not survive those conditions. Still, that might well be a giant leap for mankind, since it hints at the possibility…

This story continues at The Next Web

A cotton seed sprouted – and died – on China’s Lunar Lander
Source: The Next Web

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