Last year Mark Watney thrilled cinema audiences with his story of survival on Mars by (among other things) growing potatoes in space – declaring ‘I am the greatest botanist on this planet!’
And now it seems that the real-life astronauts aboard the International Space Station have decided to take a leaf out of his book after growing the first flowers to bloom outside of Earth’s atmosphere.
Revealed by U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly, who is currently completing the first full year in space, the flower is an edible zinnia – which can be used in salads.
#internationalspacestation – by @mundybrown on Instagram
