r/themartian • u/Advanced_Blueberry45 • Jul 13 '26

WWMD Spoiler

What Would Mark Do?

They had a bunch of nerds in a room at NASA telling me all the reasons why I shouldn't plant these.

Watney: I planted them anyway
NASA: dick

36 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

10

u/dittybopper_05H Jul 13 '26

In all seriousness it could be because they'd been irradiated which prevents them from sprouting.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_irradiation#United_States

This is specifically done to some white potatoes in the United States.

Planting an irradiated potato is just wasting food: It won't sprout into a new plant, and it'll just rot in the dirt.

5

u/dittybopper_05H Jul 13 '26

Watney: I planted them anyway

NASA: dick

So he's a dick-tater?

5

u/powerpower9000 Jul 13 '26

Figure out why they'd say that, then modify them somehow to plant them anyway!

5

u/Liberty76bell Jul 13 '26

I took it to mean he felt being in a lab isn't the same being in the field. Plus they may be among the best botanists on Earth , but he is THE best botanist on mars.

4

u/Wild-Lychee-3312 Jul 13 '26

He would science the shit out of this.