NASA experiment simulates growing potatoes on MARS: Space spuds could help us colonise the Red Planet
NASA experiment simulates growing potatoes on MARS: Space spuds could help us colonise the Red Planet Ridley Scott's sci-fi blockbuster The Martian showed Matt Damon's stranded astronaut trying to grow potatoes on the inhospitable surface of Mars. A team of scientists working with NASA is now attempting to make that science fiction into a science fact The objective is twofold: firstly, as a stepping stone to figuring out how to grow space spuds for real once we get humans to Mars. And secondly, to show how resultant the humble potato is and potentially save lives here on Earth. The idea is that the experiment will pressure governments to fund development of farming in devastated areas around the globe. "How better to learn about climate change than by growing crops on a planet that died two billion years ago?" said Joel Ranck, head of communications at the International Potato Center. "We need people to understand that if we can grow potatoes ...