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Space-flown seeds take root in orbit, NASA's UAP interest, and Florida gets STARCOM

A view into NASA's Kennedy Space Center’s Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) during experiment verification testing for the Plant Habitat-03 investigation. The image shows the Arabidopsis plants growing in the APH just before the four seed bags are installed. The plants are just beginning to develop flower stalks.
Anna-Lisa Paul
/
NASA
A view into NASA's Kennedy Space Center’s Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) during experiment verification testing for the Plant Habitat-03 investigation. The image shows the Arabidopsis plants growing in the APH just before the four seed bags are installed. The plants are just beginning to develop flower stalks.

Scientists are beginning to understand how plants grow in space. Crews on the International Space Station have grown radishes, mustard seeds, and even chilies.

Rob Ferl and Anna-Lisa Paul, researchers at the University of Florida, found that the plants change their cellular structure to grow in the harsh conditions of space -- and want to find out if they pass on those changes to the next generation.

We’ll speak with Anna-Lisa Paul, research professor in horticultural sciences and Director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research at the University of Florida, about a second generation of space seeds taking root in low-Earth orbit.

Then, NASA held a meeting last week on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, formerly known as UFOs. We’ll hear from NPR’s Geoff Brumfiel about why the agency is getting involved.

And, STARCOM, a key Space Force training group, is coming to Florida. What does that mean for the sunshine state? We ask Space Florida president Frank DiBello about the long-term impact of the selection.

Brendan Byrne is WMFE's Assistant News Director, managing the day-to-day operations of the WMFE newsroom, editing daily news stories, and managing WMFE's internship program.<br/><br/>Byrne also hosts WMFE's weekly radio show and podcast "Are We There Yet?" which explores human space exploration.
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