In 2008, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) send about 250 cherry seeds to International Space Station to study how micro-gravity affects them. The seeds were collected from 10 trees including 3 trees that are named as national treasure and producing most beautiful blossoms.
14 of those seeds returned from space after 8 months were planted throughout Japan and this spring four of them are blossomed. It is nice to see them blossom but the problem is they have blossomed many years ahead of schedule blossom.
These type of cherry trees takes 10 years to blossom - but the seeds from the space have blossomed in little less than 6 years. Scientists believe that this premature blossom is caused by the exposure to stronger cosmic rays, therefore the blossom process is accelerated. But that was not a final conclusion, some also believe the cross-pollination also could have caused it.
In one of those trees, flowers have only 5 petals - its parent's flowers have 30, there is no clear explanation for this either. Researcher involved in this study, Tomita-Yokotani, from University of Tsukuba says "From a scientific point of view, there is no clear explanation."
Source: The Verge
Image: Internet
No comments :
Post a Comment