China will begin measuring the impact of lunar gravity on insects and plants in 2018, according to Science Alert. The Chinese Lunar Exploration Program has already sent two orbiters and a lander to the Moon, and a NASA press release shows that they’ll head to the far side of the moon to not only study local geology, but also to attempt a “simple ecosystem” in the area.
“The container will send potatoes, arabidopsis seeds and silkworm eggs to the surface of the Moon,” Zhang Yuanxun, the chief designer of the insect and plant container, reportedly told China Daily. “The eggs will hatch into silkworms, which can produce carbon dioxide, while the potatoes and seeds emit oxygen through photosynthesis. Together, they can establish a simple ecosystem on the Moon.”
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