Newton’s Space Apples with Jeremy Curtis (GotG40)

An extraordinary apple tree in a garden in Lincolnshire is 400 years old. It inspired Sir Isaac Newton to think about gravity, and in 2015 British astronaut Tim Peake took its pips into space. In this episode, Emma the Space Gardener talks with Jeremy Curtis, Head of Education and Skills at the UK Space Agency, about sending Newton’s apple seeds into space. She finds out what’s happened to the space saplings and has a close encounter at the Eden Project in Cornwall.

03:07 Jeremy talks about his career in the UK space industry and his gardening on Earth.

4:40 Jeremy explain the links between Principia and Newton, and how Tim came to take pips from Newton’s apple tree into space.

07:23 Preparing the seeds for their space mission.

08:36 Tim’s Rocket Science experiment.

09:35 Pips in space and back to Kew.

12:42 Inspiring space trees.

13:06 Were the rocket seeds and space saplings affected by their trip to space?

19:15 Astronaut wanted – no experience necessary.

20:34 Jeremy picks his Fantasy Space Plant.

24:45 Space gardening – the Royal connection.

27:59 Eight space saplings. Where are they now?

See the photos of the Rocket Science stand at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, read more about the 10 space crops Jeremy mentions, and learn more about how Kew helped turn apple pips into space apple saplings.

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Hello, and welcome to episode 40 of Gardeners of the Galaxy, the podcast for all of the sentient beings in the Universe who have a passion for plants. I’m Emma the space gardener, and I will be your host as we explore gardening on Earth… and beyond!As part of Tim Peake’s Principia mission to the International Space Station, he took part in a big space