Hello everyone. I'm back for my very infrequent random post I do every once in a while.

Anyway, I was reading This BBC article (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2613725.stm) about the development of the Chinese space program. Reading, I came upon this line:
Shenzhou II, launched in January 2001, circled the Earth 108 times and tested life support systems - it put a monkey, a dog, a rabbit and snails into orbit.

Why would you want to place snails into orbit? Is there any scientific reason for doing so? :bugeye:

Please, enlighten me.

Well, they probabally put them up there to feed subsequent Chinese astronauts. They eat some pretty weird stuff.

Just a guess. Maybe because they are invertebrates, whereas the others aren't, and it is a good test on soft body tissue. They could see the effects of acceleration, launch and de-orbit, plus micro-gravity.

Maybe a bit of a google search will reveal more, or the real reason.

Hehe. Like the food analogy!
Snails would not move or eat much and the they would stay put for cameras. I doubt that they would be wired for vital signs!

How would you make a space suit and takeoff harness for a snail? I have this weird image of little globes around its eyestalkes and little oxygen tanks strapped to its shell. Imagine a snail on a spacewalk floating around...

Actually the reason might partially have to do with testing their slime in zero-g.

The only reason I can think of is to see if it lives under cosmic radiation.

HAHHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAH:D