Zero-gravity spells end for intrepid sex geckos sent into space by Russia

Five geckos sent into orbit to test the effect of weightlessness on the small lizards’ sex lives have all died, the Russian space agency has revealed. The Foton-M4 satellite on which the geckos spent the past month-and-a-half returned to Earth as planned on Monday and the various species travelling aboard were removed. “Unfortunately, all the geckos died,” said the Roskosmos space agency in a brief statement.

According to preliminary data, it is becoming clear that the geckos froze.

An expert, quoted by the Interfax news agency

It is thought the creatures died after their heating system failed. The fruit flies that were also travelling on the satellite, however, survived and had reproduced, Roskosmos said. Roskosmos briefly lost control over the satellite following its launch, but was eventually able to restore contact and put the satellite back in the proper orbit.

Science geckos