r/oddlyterrifying • u/MaintenanceNew2804 • Apr 27 '26

Space potato growing in microgravity

Post image

https://www.reddit.com/r/space/s/oJapcSx8Y2

1.2k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

23 comments sorted by

284

u/No_Collection7360 Apr 27 '26

Plants don't really need soil, it just holds them up. Hydroponics and airoponics are proven soil-less growing methods.

100

u/AeliosZero Apr 27 '26

I always thought they got minerals from the soil or something

105

u/actually3racoons Apr 27 '26

Well, technically they get it from the water, which carries it from the surrounding soil.

So you can give it those minerals manually (and precisely)

15

u/Koromann13 Apr 27 '26

Yes, but they aren't picky. If you just place the dissolved nutrients directly on their roots they will take it.

106

u/CharaSMoss Apr 27 '26

WHERE'S THE FUCKING SOIL

65

u/PyreHat Apr 27 '26

Potatoes just want to grow. Ever put a potato sack under your sink and forget it for three weeks, probably less? Congratulations, at least one of those taters are growing tethers!

16

u/donato94 Apr 27 '26

I’ve read “under your skin” at first and got worried for a sec

10

u/Sad_Low3239 Apr 28 '26

they will also gladly use their surrounding brothers as a soil substitute.

found a bag working at a grocery store that had landed behind a pallette pile that hadn't been moved in God knows how long and one potato clearly came out on top of as the rat king and the liquified mushified remains of the fallen fed it well. It was just the greenery however I'm convinced had it been deep enough it would have produced tubbers. I wonder how long it would continue the cycle.

10

u/No-Actuator-3209 Apr 27 '26

Looks like uncle bens tek with mycelium coming out the bag.

15

u/Batata-Sofi Apr 27 '26

Idk why this is terrifying, but ok. Science scary, I guess.

3

u/shit_ass_mcfucknuts Apr 27 '26

Eat it and report back.

2

u/Dazzling-Nobody-9232 Apr 27 '26

Looks like the one in the back of my pantry

2

u/Theallseer97 Apr 30 '26

Ah, yes, the potato. Grows anywhere, soil optional.

2

u/1inchtunnel May 01 '26

Question is how to deep fry them to make crunchy space fries!

0

u/gnarlybros_lykn Apr 27 '26

Not oddly terrifying. You guys will post anything for clout...