RIP Sexy Space Geckos

A little over a month ago five geckos from Russia were off on the adventure of a gecko lifetime. Housed in a satellite, one male and four females were launched into space so that scientists could study how the geckos got down in weightless conditions where “down” didn't mean much. Unfortunately for the geckos their satellite had some technical problems, and now the BBC reports that all five sexy geckos are dead.

Trouble started for the geckos not long after launch when, as Smart News wrote previously, the Russian space agency lost control of their satellite. The Russians did eventually regain contact. But that wasn't the end of the geckos' ordeal.

According to the BBC, the Russian scientists aren't exactly sure what caused the geckos to croak, but they suspect the lizards “may have frozen to death after the heating system broke down.” The BBC says that the satellite was also home to some sexy fruit flies, but they managed to make it through.

Colin Schultz | | READ MORE

Colin Schultz is a freelance science writer and editor based in Toronto, Canada. He blogs for Smart News and contributes to the American Geophysical Union. He has a B.Sc. in physical science and philosophy, and a M.A. in journalism.