Sir Isaac Newton's space tree

14:49 16th July 2010

When Sir Isaac Newton proved his theory of gravity in 1666 after watching an apple fall from his tree, he probably never imagined it would one day be shot into space.

However, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has revealed that British astronaut Piers Sellers recently took a 10cm section of the tree on his 12-day trip to the International Space Station, allowing it to experience zero-gravity.

The shard is now on display at the RHS's 350th anniversary exhibition, which garden and greenhouse fans can visit by booking in advance.

Sir Isaac Newton used the rarely cultivated Flower of Kent cooking apple tree when testing his theory of gravity in the 17th century.

The tree still stands at Woolsthorpe Manor in Lincolnshire, where the respected scientist lived.

In other news, the RHS recently gave advice to Brits who have been handed a hosepipe ban, explaining how to stop their gardens and greenhouses from suffering during hot weather.