Potatoes again? Astronauts would welcome them on Mars

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1 Potatoes again? Astronauts would welcome them on Mars By Dan Collyns, The Guardian, adapted by Newsela staff on Word Count 622 In a scene from the movie "The Martian," astronaut Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon, survives on Mars by growing potatoes. Peter Mountain Growing potatoes on another planet, like Mars, sounds like a dream. In the movie "The Martian," a stranded astronaut survives by growing potatoes on Mars. NASA is the U.S. space agency. They are working with the International Potato Centre (CIP) from Peru. The two groups of scientists want to see if potatoes could grow in a difficult place, like Mars. Julio Valdivia-Silva studies life in outer space, including potatoes. He says, 'The Martian' is completely possible. He is a scientist working on the experiment in Peru. Valdivia-Silva says the technology is growing quickly. At the same time, people are trying to learn about Mars. Valdivia-Silva and his team aim to make Mars-like conditions on Earth. They are using an igloo-shaped building. Inside, they are using air made of gases found on Mars. The ground is made from sands from the Pampas de la Joya Desert. This part of the Atacama Desert in southern Peru is one of the world s driest and most nutrient-poor ecosystems. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 1

2 Potatoes Going To The Extreme Why the potato? The potato is able to grow in many places. There are many different kinds of potatoes. Potatoes can grow at sea level or 4,700 meters (15,080 feet) above sea level. One meter is a little more than 3 feet. They can grow with very little water, in very hot or cold temperatures. Potatoes are also one of the healthiest foods because they are packed with nutrients like vitamin C, zinc, iron, proteins, and carbohydrates. Growing potatoes on Mars may be harder than on Earth. NASA says temperatures on Mars go from a high of 20 Celsius (68 Fahrenheit) to a low of -153 C (minus 243 F). The air has a lot of carbon dioxide and very little oxygen. This is different from Earth. The potatoes may grow fast but end up small. Also, the dusty planet has little groundwater and winds up to 60 miles per hour. But Jan Kreuze, a scientist at CIP, says growing potatoes on Mars is possible. First The Potato, Then Man? Potatoes may colonize Mars before humans do, he says. Right now it s science fiction. Then you do the science and it becomes a reality. Mars gravity is just one-third that of Earth's. That is one thing for which the experiment cannot test, Kreuze says. The potato has another advantage over other crops in that it grows underground. CIP has more than 4,500 types of potatoes. One of them may just have the genetic makeup to live on Mars. One-hundred kinds are being used in the NASA experiment. Of those, 40 are from to the Andes Mountains, the birthplace of the potato. These can grow even as the climate changes quickly, Kreuze says. The other 60 are genetically modified potatoes. These can avoid some diseases and can live with little water. If the experiment works, the selected potatoes would be cryogenically frozen, like in a sci-fi movie. Freezing them can keep them from sprouting on the way to Mars. A one-way trip would take more than nine months. Valdivia-Silva says that for now they could be tended to by robots in a building on Mars. One day, humans could go to Mars. Eat Your Vegetables The experiment has two questions to answer, he says. First, they want to find out which vegetable can best handle climate change. Second, they want to know which vegetable can be food for astronauts. The potato is second to none as a food crop. It grows fast and it is healthy. If it can grow on Mars, it can grow in the harshest conditions planet Earth can throw at it. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 2

3 Our main interest is not growing potatoes on Mars but here on Earth, mostly in developing countries," Kreuze says. This article is available at 5 reading levels at 3

4 Quiz 1 Which answer choice BEST describes the scientists' experiment? Scientists are trying to grow potatoes that can survive in the Atacama Desert. Scientists are studying life on Mars so they know what plants to bring to the planet. Scientists hope to find a food that can handle climate change, and can be used in space. Scientists are looking for a way to freeze potatoes, and send them to developing countries. 2 Based on the section "Potatoes Going To The Extreme," which of the following statements is TRUE? The air on Mars could have an impact on the size of potatoes. The potato can only grow in extremely cold temperatures. The water on Mars could damage potato plants. The potato requires a lot of water to grow properly. 3 Read the following sentence from the introduction [paragraphs 1-4]. Growing potatoes on another planet, like Mars, sounds like a dream. In the movie "The Martian," a stranded astronaut survives by growing potatoes on Mars. What does the term "stranded" mean in the sentence? left behind frustrated hard-working lonely This article is available at 5 reading levels at 4

5 4 Read the paragraph from the section "First The Potato, Then Man?" Mars gravity is just one-third that of Earth's. That is one thing for which the experiment cannot test, Kreuze says. The potato has another advantage over other crops in that it grows underground. What does the author mean by "crops"? a kind of grass a plant grown for food the stem of a plant a food used by animals This article is available at 5 reading levels at 5