UK children tested 600,000 space seeds; they grew slower but stayed viable
A UK-wide citizen science project involving 600,000 children found that rocket seeds flown to the International Space Station remained viable despite slower growth rates. The experiment provided students with hands-on experience in space biology and radiation research.
Why it matters
The study contributes to scientific understanding of plant resilience in space, which is critical for future long-term space exploration and food production.
ESA astronaut Tim Peake took 2kg of rocket seeds to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2015 as part of his six-month Principia mission. The seeds endured intense vibrations from launch and spaceflight and received up to 100 times more radiation than they would have experienced on Earth. After returning in 2016, they were planted and monitored by around 600,000 children across the UK in a large-scale experiment led by Royal Holloway, the Royal Horticultural Society, and the UK Space Agency. The results, published in the journal Life, showed that the space seeds grew more slowly and aged faster than Earth-bound controls, but they remained viable and capable of germination.A citizen science experiment on a national scaleThe Rocket Science project was organised by the Royal Horticultural Society's Campaign for School Gardening in partnership with the UK Space Agency.
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