Arabidopsis Thaliana

Arabidopsis Thalianaisis a common plant found all over Europe, Asia and Africa. It was the first plant to have its entire DNA sequenced, so biologists know this species well.

ESA research on the Space Station has shown that plants can sense gravity at very low levels. Better understanding of this plant has increased our knowledge of plants in general. This experiment in space will further help to understand how the plant reacts to light and gravity, which will improve our crops in space and on Earth.