Russians baffled as gecko sex satellite is lost in space
This is one experiment you don't want to go wrong: Copulating lizards are floating free somewhere in space.
Russian scientists thought it would be a good experiment to study "the effects of weightlessness on lizard mating," Al Jazeera reports. Researchers from Russia's Institute of Medico-Biological Problems sent a satellite filled with geckos into space on July 19. On Thursday, however, Russian space firm Progress reported that the scientists had lost control of the satellite.
The researchers confirmed that the satellite was "not responding to commands" after they lost control of the vessel's engine, Russia's Interfax news agency reports. Progress is currently trying to re-connect with the satellite, which is set to autopilot.
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However, it's not all bad news — the scientists can still watch videos of the mating geckos to observe their zero-gravity mating. But according to Al Jazeera, "there was no immediate word from the scientists behind the experiment on Thursday as to whether the geckos had successfully copulated."
