China to Grow Potatoes on the Moon

As part of the Chang’e-4 mission due to launch next year, Chinese scientists will attempt to grow potatoes on the moon. The potatoes will reportedly be grown in a “mini ecosystem”. They will be sharing a small cylinder on the surface of the Earth’s only natural satellite with silkworm larvae as part of a series of experiments, Professor Xie Gengxin of Chongqing University told the media.

The goal is to see whether the insects and spuds will survive on the lunar surface, and the end result will yield important insights about the viability of a future human colony, China Radio International says.

Like Russia is increasingly seeking more stake in the arctic region, more countries are striving to establish natural resource pools and national stake in areas outside the six continents.

Potatoes played a central part in the 2015 science fiction film The Martian, based on the book by Andy Weir, where Matt Damon plays an astronaut stranded on Mars, resorting to potato farming in order to survive.