One wiggle for wormkind!
Exeter University scientists are launching worms into space as part of a mission that could help shape the future of space travel.
A group of boffins and engineers from Exeter and Leicester Universities will work together on next year's mission.
The team has designed special pods to take the tiny crew to the International Space Station, where they'll spend a short time before being deployed on an external platform for 15 weeks.
Worms are a great substitute for humans as they share similar muscle and ageing genes.
The research will help experts discover how to keep astronauts healthier on longer trips to the Moon and Mars.
It's not the first time worms have been sent beyond Earth's atmosphere; it was last done in June 2021.
The wiggly creatures won't be harmed; the scientists are taking great care to ensure their welfare and not to cause them harm.
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