From Bradley County to Mars
A manned mission to Mars is no longer the stuff of Ray Bradbury science fiction. Placing men on the surface of Mars -- OK, and women, too, geesh -- and maintaining a presence there are things old sci-fi geeks may actually live to see. Well, our kids anyway.
And what might those Mars astronauts be munching on? Arkansas tomatoes, of course.
Arkansas – home of thousands of backyard gardens, farmer’s markets, and a summer festival that pays annual homage to the tomato – also is home to a team of scientists based at UALR that is developing a tomato plant hearty enough to grow in space and surviving down-to-earth droughts and disease. More than providing fresh produce for astronauts on extended missions to Mars, the research has important implications for developing crops resistant to drought and other stresses while improving the nutritional value of food.Check out the whole story about this Arkansas university research that could have a long-lasting impact. Take that, MIT. No word yet on whether you'll still be able to eat this stuff if it's been on the floor for longer than five seconds.
Tang and Bradley County tomatoes...an interstellar combination.