Flowers on moon? Chang'e 4 will place 'mini biosphere' experiment

China's Chang'e 4 lunar probe is expected to conduct many groundbreaking tasks after its launch later this year, including the first biological experiment on the lifeless lunar surface, after making a soft landing on the far side.

The probe will carry a tin containing the seeds of potatoes and arabidopsis, a small flowering plant related to cabbage and mustard - and probably some silkworm eggs - to see how they respond in the "lunar mini biosphere". Chongqing University led the project with 27 other Chinese universities participating.

The cylindrical tin, made from a special aluminum alloy, is 18 centimeters tall and has a diameter of 16 cm. The tin will also contain water, a nutrient solution, air and equipment such as a small camera and data transmission system.