Mice In Space

‘IT seems that it is not only humans who have caught the space bug – mice are trying to muscle in on the act.

US and Australian university researchers are preparing to help send 15 mice into space in 2006, with the wee beasties due to spend five weeks in low Earth orbit before parachuting down to terra firma.

A Russian dog was the first animal in space, but the mouse-onauts are aiming for something altogether harder – Mars.

Paul Wooster from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said the mice would provide valuable data about the effects that the low gravity of Mars would have on the human body.

‘What we’re really trying to find out is what the effects are while they’re there,” he said, “and if there are any countermeasures we should be developing to help them out while they’re on the surface including different types of exercise protocols as well as various pharmacological methods.’

What next? Flying pigs?’

Posted: 11th, February 2004 | In: Strange But True Comment | TrackBack | Permalink