Seeds planted by China on the moon sprouts

The first ever seed planted by China at the far side of moon lunar exploration mission have sprouted in a first for growing biological matter on the satellite and could begin the era of lunar colonisation.

The lunar atmosphere is too thin to sustain life itself, but it had not previously been known whether it was possible for plants to grow within controlled conditions on the moon – although they had been grown on the International Space Station.

Now, in the first ever biological experiment to take place on the moon, cotton seeds housed in a sealed container on board the Chang’e 4 lander have begun to sprout.

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If the sprouts thrive they would form the first ever green leaves on the moon – however it is not clear whether they would develop beyond germination.

Alongside them in a seven-inch bucket in the lander’s cargo are rapeseed, potato and arabidopsis seeds, as well as yeast, fruit fly eggs, air and water.

The Chinese National Space Administration said that it hopes the crops will form a miniature biosphere, essentially an ecosystem which is capable of sustaining itself.

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