11 Craziest Things About Living In Space
3. They Grow Food In Thier Dirty Space Pants
Since the astronauts began growing their own produce aboard the ISS, they have tried various techniques with varying levels of success.
One of the more unorthodox methods was discovered by American astronaut Don Pettit, who needed a way of insulating his tomato and basil seedlings. He ended up balling his old underwear up into a sphere around it and sewing in some Russian toilet paper, which is thick and wool-like, to form a little micro-nursery for his plants.
Amazingly the pants plants sprouted successfully. It could've been the extra insulation that did it, or maybe it was the, er, "extra nutrients" provided by the fact the, like with their socks, astronauts only change their pants every couple of days.
Mmmm, crotch tomatoes.