Rocket Science

The Insulin Plant (Costus igneus), also known as ‘Spiral Ginger’ or ‘Fiery Costus,’ has garnered significant attention for its potential health benefits, particularly in managing blood sugar levels. In this article, we delve into the scientific research surrounding Insulin Plant Benefits, its active compounds, and how it can potentially support individuals with diabetes and beyond.

Whether or not that old packet of seeds will germinate is a question that often arises in gardening. But when the seeds in question have taken a trip to the International Space Station (ISS), the answer gets a bit more complicated. In 2015, a million rocket (AKA arugula) seeds blasted off to spend six months in space. When they returned to Earth in 2016 they faced an even larger challenge – they were to be sown by a horde of little fingers as the RHS Rocket Science experiment turned school children into space gardeners!

Header image: Mission specialist Sally Ride became the first American woman to fly in space. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

An ethnobotany superhero by night, my mild-mannered daytime alter ego is a science writer for the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), one of the UK’s research councils. It’s not often that those two worlds collide, although during the early summer the campus I work on is dotted with the blooms of hardy orchids.

On Thursday I pottered out into the garden and planted some tea bags. This isn’t because I have some loony idea that they’ll grow into tea plants (you were wondering that, weren’t you?) – it’s all in the name of soil science.

The UK Space Agency has launched a new mission for the UK’s children to design a logo for the first small satellite launches from the UK next year.

NASA has put together a short video introducing the science experiments that are part of the upcoming Artemis I mission to the Moon.

Way back in November 2021, I bought myself a packet of adorable Plantable Spaceships from Ruby & Bo. They are paper rocket ships have been embedded with rocket (arugula) seeds.

An inseparable part of British summer time, the Wimbledon Championship is on between 29.06 – 17.07. With more than 450,000 spectators attending each year, and 19 grass courts, it is a massive event, yet it still retains its Victorian atmosphere and image.

In times of this pandemic, it is imperative that you take good care of your health, especially the respiratory system. Exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds (which are 10 times higher indoors than outdoors), Particulate Matter, Polluting Gases like Nitrogen Oxide andRadon, and Contaminants like Asbestos are commonly found inside homes.

Any day now, temperatures should drop, and we will begin what I believe to be the best season in South Carolina – the Fall! This is not just a football-induced admiration. Fall is a great time to be outdoors and on the water. It’s also our best season to appreciate the culinary treasures of our estuaries – shrimp and oysters!

One of my favorite trees is the Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis). I love how the flowers emerge before the foliage, adding a pop of color to the landscape in early spring. Plus, they provide nectar and pollen for pollinating insects active early in the growing season. As I have gotten older and wiser, I enjoy and notice the outside world around me more. If I could redo anything, it would be to learn this lesson earlier in life. Maybe you already find yourself taking note of the world around you? Or perhaps you wish you took more time to enjoy the little things, like an Eastern redbud in bloom. Either way, there is an exciting opportunity for you and/or your family to participate in a Citizen Science project.