Listen "Made in space"
Episode Synopsis
Why are companies blasting bottles of alcohol and crops into space? Are they just publicity stunts, or are there some serious scientific discoveries to be made? We explore the potential of space when it comes to producing food and drink - not for astronauts or the first settlers on Mars, but by developing crops that could be more productive and more resistant to climate change here on Earth. A NASA scientist tells Graihagh Jackson how microgravity on the International Space Station could be the key to unlocking the potential of many Earth crops, and a serial entrepreneur explains why he’s investing hundreds of millions of dollars in the idea in a bid to save Bordeaux wine. Plus, we find out how space science has already helped us grow indoor crops and develop more efficient and environmentally friendly fertilisers.(Picture: Planet Earth, composed by NASA images. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)
More episodes of the podcast The Food Chain
Tweaks for 2026: How to eat better
08/01/2026
Family ties
25/12/2025
What is the ultimate hangover cure?
18/12/2025
Food heroes and villains
11/12/2025
How to eat well in the cold
04/12/2025
To tip or not to tip?
27/11/2025
Food by drones?
13/11/2025
Turmeric: The golden spice
06/11/2025
The chefs
30/10/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.