Science News Desk: After keeping them in space for several months, scientists have sent many types of seeds back to Earth. According to a report, the seeds will be planted in the earth as early as this spring. This is part of the cultural and STEM study. Here the full name of STEM is Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. According to a Space.com report, in November last year, five varieties of seeds – sweet potato, pea, maize and lambsquarters – were sent to the International Space Station (ISS).
All the seeds weighed one pound (500 grams). They were exposed to microgravity and space radiation in space for 5 months. These seeds returned to Earth in April this year. The name of the project is Choctaw Heirloom Seeds Investigation. Its purpose is to encourage American youth to make careers in STEM. According to the report, students of Jones Academy Boarding School in Oklahoma, USA will plant these seeds in their school garden. Students have been asked to predict the growth of these seeds.
What is the International Space Station?
It is present in the low-Earth orbit, i.e. the lower orbit of the Earth, 400 kilometers above the Earth. In this, a team of astronauts from America, Russia and their allied countries is always deployed and completes space related experiments. The International Space Station revolves around the Earth at a speed of approximately 7.6 kilometers per second. During this time it revolves around the Earth 16 times in 24 hours. The Crew-9 mission team is currently present on the ISS. This team will return to Earth in February-March next year. Then astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Willmore will also be included in it. However, it will be interesting to see how the seeds that came from space are able to grow on Earth.
