A strange object with Long appendages was spotted on the ISS

A strange object with Long appendages was spotted on the ISS

A mysterious flying object has appeared on the International Space Station (ISS), instantly engulfing social media.

Many users mistook the strange purple “egg” with long, writhing appendages for an alien life form or even a scene from a horror movie, according to the New York Post.

However, the reality turned out to be both more prosaic and more intriguing. The mysterious object on the ISS is a purple potato grown by NASA astronaut Don Pettit during Expedition 72.

A photograph posted by the astronaut himself on the social media site X shows a purple tuber with prominent tentacle-like roots that grow in all directions in microgravity. The tuber was secured with a piece of Velcro inside a homemade terrarium with a grow light.

Many commenters couldn’t contain their emotions: “I thought it was some kind of egg about to hatch!” “Burn that tentacled UFO immediately!!!” “The Velcro just reinforces the alien feel.”

Don Pettit himself responded to the hype with humor and explained the origin of the photo: “This is an early purple potato with a piece of Velcro hook I used to secure it in a homemade terrarium with a grow light. I grew potatoes during Expedition 72 for my space garden—in my spare time.”

In microgravity, plants behave unusually: their roots don’t extend downwards, but spread out chaotically, which is what gives Spudnik-1 its “alien” appearance. This small experiment is helping scientists better understand how to adapt agriculture for future bases on the Moon and Mars.

Once again, a photo from space has shown how easily an ordinary terrestrial food item can look terrifying in zero gravity. The purple potato, Spudnik-1, has become a viral meme, but behind the jokes lies serious science—preparing for long-term human presence beyond Earth.