Plants from Earth are growing on the moon. China's space agency showed photos of seeds sprouting into life. This is part of a project on the far side of the moon. It is called a "moon surface micro-ecological circle". Project leader Liu Hanlong says cotton was the first plant to sprout. He chose cotton and potatoes because they were small, strong and could grow in the difficult conditions on the moon's surface.
Professor Hanlong wants to understand how plants grow in space. He wants plants to grow on the moon. His team is looking at the future survival in space. These plants could allow us to start a space base. The project also includes yeast and fruit flies in a mini-ecosystem. The plants will produce oxygen and food for the fruit flies; the yeast could change the flies' waste and the dead plants into another food source.