Saplings grown from apple pips that were produced by Sir Isaac Newton’s tree and taken into space by astronaut Tim Peake have been ‘given homes to inspire the next generation’.
The eight young trees were grown from seeds taken from the ‘Flower of Kent’ tree at Woolsthorpe Manor (in Lincolnshire), the home of the scientist who ‘drew out’ the principles of gravity after seeing an apple fall.
Mr Peake took the seeds with him when he went to the International Space Station on the Principia mission in 2015. The seeds spent six months floating in micro-gravity as part of the ‘Pips in Space’ project and then came back to Earth in 2016 to be nurtured into young trees.
The UK Space Agency (
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-space-agency), the National Trust (
www.nationaltrust.org.uk) and the Royal Botanic Gardens (Kew) (
www.kew.org) worked together on the project.
The Eden Project in Cornwall, Jodrell Bank in Cheshire and the National Physical Laboratory in London are among the winners of a competition to become home to one of the saplings.
The winners represent a mix of fields including educational, research, science, arboreal and horticultural organisations.
Mr Peake said: “These trees are truly unique. They come from the iconic apple tree that inspired Sir Isaac Newton to ponder the forces of gravitation and continues to inspire to this day.
“My mission to space was named Principia in homage to Newton’s defining work, which included his world-changing ideas about gravity.
"I wanted my Principia mission to inspire others — particularly young people — with the adventure of space and the excitement of science.
“Now, thanks to the careful nurturing at Kew, the apple pips that flew with me into space have grown into fine young trees, which I hope will continue to inspire potential Isaac Newtons.”