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"The primary attraction [of writing sf] is the sheer pleasure of creating something from whole cloth."
- Dan Simmons
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| Hydroponics in Space | ||
| Growing plants for food without soil on a spacecraft. |
Fairly early description of a simple method for growing food in space.
| "I wanted to show you," Mitch said. "I brought seeds, and these little plastic tubes with holes in them, that you can string around inside a bubb. The weight is next to nothing. Put the seeds in the tubes, and water with plant food in solution. The plants come up through the holes. Hydroponics. Gotta almost do it, if I'm going way out to Mars without much supplies. Maybe, before I get there, I'll have even ripe tomatoes! 'Cause, with sun all the time, the stuff grows like fury, they say. I'll have string beans and onions and flowers, anyhow! Helps keep the air oxygen-fresh, too. Wish I had a few bumble bees! 'Cause now I'll have to pollenate by hand..." |
| From The Planet Strappers,
by Raymond Z. Gallun. Published by Pyramid Books in 1961 Additional resources -
|
The word "hydroponics" was coined in the 1930's, but the idea dates from the 1600's, when experiments were done to see what elements were necessary for plant growth.
Compare to the chlorella plantation from The Space Merchants (1952), by Frederik Pohl (w/CM Kornbluth) and the lifezone from Tides of Light (1989), by Gregory Benford.
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Hydroponics in Space-related
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- Tomatoes From Sun And Seawater
| Space Construction Tools For Large Structures By OAC |
| Comercial Airlock 'Bishop' Now On ISS |
| Space Station Could Use Some Martian Sawgrass |
| Arches Of Chaos: Jovian Space Manifolds Create A Celestial Autobahn |
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Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
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Now, that was a Pontiac Trans Am with some real style.
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