    2001 Second Quarter |
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Heinz Tomatosphere Has Out-of-This-World Benefits
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Dr. Marc Garneau, a Canadian astronaut, transported 200,000 Heinz tomato seeds to the International Space Station (top photo) when he was launched into space Nov. 30 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Upon his return, these "space" seeds will be distributed to Canadian students in grades 4 to 6 and be subject to a study on germination rates. Another 200,000 seeds kept on earth will be subjected to red light treatment, which has been found to stimulate germination and improve germination rates. Beginning in the spring, students will use the World Wide Web to report germination rates for both the "space" and "earth" seeds. Heinz is the sole food sponsor of Tomatosphere, and it is hoped the study will provide valuable research data for not only food production in space, but also a valuable learning tool for schoolchildren. |
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Heinz Canada blasted into space this fall with Tomatosphere, an educational initiative that introduced students to space exploration, scientific research, plant biology, health, and research.