Bold Colors and Bright Light Fill This Vibrant Family Home

Header image: Lupinus albus (altramuces o chochitos), by Calapito via Wikimedia Commons.

Potato blight, also known as late blight, attacks the foliage and tubers of potatoes, eventually causing the crop to rot. Caused by the same fungus responsible for tomato blight, it is a particular problem in wet summers. Potato blight was responsible for the Irish potato famine in the 19th century, devastating crops in the ground, and those in storage too.

One of the great joys of spring is seeing trees leaf out and bloom. They bring so much joy, and do so much for us, and yet are rarely valued as they should be. In particular, ancient trees are wondrous, magical things. Impressive and complex structures, they have lots of nooks and crannies in which wildlife can find a home. As fungi feed on the tree they provide food for woodland creatures, and a hollowed out trunk provides shelter. Although ancient trees are in the final stage of their life, and technically in decline, they have a lot to give, and can go on living for a long time, depending on the species.

I’m hoping to go and see The Martian soon, one of the few films to feature a botanist as the hero. Astronaut Mark Watney is one of the first humans to set foot on Mars, but accidentally gets left behind and has to survive on his own – and to do so he grows potatoes. He wouldn’t be the first person (or even population) to rely on potatoes for survival, but here on Earth there’s a slight snag. The potato (Solanum tuberosum) has an arch nemesis – late blight, caused by an organism called Phytophthora infestans. It cuts down both potatoes and tomatoes, and was the biological cause of the Irish Potato Famine in the 19th century.

Stephen M. Cullen, University of Warwick

The role downunder played in helping track the Apollo 8 mission to the Moon.

Daniel Brown, Nottingham Trent University

Taking a break from space for a while, I have made a transcript of the third episode of The Wartime Kitchen and Garden, a fascinating series starring Ruth Mott and Peter Dodson, with a voiceover by Peter Thoday. [You’ll find the first two transcripts, and other relevant posts, under the Home Front tag.]

The Wartime Kitchen and Garden, starring Ruth Mott and Harry Dodson, was broadcast in 1993. Although you can still find copies of the book that accompanied the series, you can’t buy the episodes on DVD (or even video!), even though it is possible to buy the sister shows The Victorian Kitchen and The Victorian Kitchen Garden.

The year is 2022, and all across the United Kingdom, something extraordinary is afoot. Ten awe-inspiring projects are coming together in a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of creativity, many of which involve space or plants! In this episode, Emma the Space Gardener is joined by Prof Fiona Burnett, the horticultural lead for Dandelion. Dandelion is an amazing Scotland-wide grow-your-own project this summer, bringing together art and music, harvest and cooking, and community spirit. Learn about the Cubes of Perpetual Light, the Unexpected Gardens springing up across Scotland, the Big Tattie Experiment and more!

Today we see the most important launch of the year, as Lightyear is released in cinemas. A sci-fi action-adventure movie, Lightyear tells the origin story of Buzz Lightyear, the astronaut hero who inspired the toy from the Toy Story movies. Marooned on a hostile planet 4.2 million light-years from Earth, the Space Ranger must find a way home through space and time with a group of ambitious recruits and his charming robot companion cat, Sox. The biggest threat to his mission is Zurg, an imposing presence with a mysterious agenda and an army of ruthless robots.

Header image: Space Salad, credit: University of Adelaide