NASA astronaut’s ‘alien egg’ photo revealed as potato experiment on ISS

A photo shared from the International Space Station that appeared to show an “alien egg” has been clarified as a potato experiment conducted in microgravity by a NASA astronaut.

The image, posted by Don Pettit, showed a purple object with root-like growths, leading to speculation online that it resembled an alien form. The astronaut later confirmed that the object was a potato, with the so-called tentacles identified as sprouts growing in space conditions.

He described the image on X as “Spudnik-1,” explaining that the potato had been secured using a Velcro hook inside a small grow-light setup. The unusual growth pattern was attributed to microgravity, which affects how roots develop compared to Earth.

The experiment was inspired by The Martian, which explores growing food in space. The astronaut noted that potatoes are considered efficient due to their high nutritional output relative to plant mass, making them suitable for future missions.

NASA has been studying plant growth in space for years as part of efforts to support long-duration missions. Previous experiments have successfully grown crops such as lettuce, kale, and zinnia flowers aboard the space station.