Washington (PNA/Xinhua) – Astronauts aboard the International Space Station have successfully grown a flower to a full bloom for the first time outside our Earth. Scott Kelly of the US space agency NASA tweeted this weekend that a zinnia has flowered in the microgravity environment of the orbiting laboratory, along with an accompanying photo of an orange flower with 13 petals. “First ever flower grown in space makes its debut! #SpaceFlower #zinnia #YearInSpace,” wrote Kelly, adding: “Yes, there are other life forms in space!” A NASA article explained that zinnias were chosen not for their beauty but to “help scientists understand how plants flower and grow in microgravity.” Previously, other plants such as wheat and romaine lettuce have been grown in space. When a batch of lettuce was harvested in August on the space station, NASA astronauts were even allowed to eat the fruits of their labor for the first [...]
