Out Of This World: Lettuce Grown In Space Might Resist Astronauts’ Bone Loss

Genetically modified lettuce may one day be grown on spacecraft, producing a bone-stimulating hormone to address astronauts' bone loss during lengthy missions. (Kevin Yates)

Transgenic lettuce may one day be grown in space and eaten by astronauts to fight bone-density loss, known as osteopenia, during long-term space travel in microgravity — and may also address bone loss for the Earth-bound.

At the University of California-Davis, researchers are developing a genetically modified lettuce featuring a bone-growing parathyroid hormone (PTH).