NASA sent 12.5 million tomato seeds to space; later planted across 40,000 schools

In 1984, NASA initiated the SEEDS project aimed at exploring how the space environment affects plant growth. Participants, comprising approximately 3.3 million students from diverse educational backgrounds worldwide, received kits that included seeds launched into space and Earth-based controls for comparison. Preliminary findings indicated a marginally enhanced germination rate for the seeds sent to space, though notable growth differences diminished during the plants’ life cycles.