"Mice astronauts" found act differently from earth mice: researchers

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have observed some differences in the behaviors of mice that completed a space journey and returned to Earth one month ago.

Four mice were sent into space aboard the Shenzhou-21 crewed spaceship on Oct 31 and were housed in a specialized habitat on the space station before returning to Earth on Nov 14. Of these four mice, one female has now successfully given birth to healthy offspring on Earth.

To measure the impact of life in the space on mice, researchers have arranged a family of mice born and raised on Earth as a control group. The female mouse in the control group has recently gave birth to several pups.

The researchers respectively set up a red room inside their cages. Through continuous 24-hour video monitoring, they identified behavioral differences between the space group and the ground control group.

"Since the mice returned from space mission, we have found that these space mice are more dependent on the red room than the ground mice. The male mouse of the control group helped the female mouse build their nest or at least left them alone after the female mouse gave birth to their offspring. In contrast, the male mouse of the space group pushed the pups out. The female mouse noticed this immediately, carried the pups back, and filled the openings on the red room right away," said Wang Yixi, an engineer at the Institute of Zoology (IOZ) of the CAS.

"We found that the female mouse of the space group has kept her babies inside the red room. She used the cotton to fill the openings on the red room in order to protect her pups. In contrast, the female mouse of the control group tends to be more carefree; she gave birth to her pups on the cotton-made nest outside the red room. So we reckon that she [the female mouse of the space group] is in an adaptive phase to the ground environment, which she finds intimidating, and she wants to protect her offspring," said Wang Hongmei, deputy director of the IOZ.

Wang said that preliminary observations suggest that after a period of living in space, the female mouse appears to have a stronger instinct to protect her offspring. Meanwhile, the male mouse seems to retain a sense of crisis from its recent experience in a weightless environment, making it resistant to the pups.

"These pups will grow up. After they grow up, we will continue to let them to breed their offspring. By monitoring their physiological and biochemical indicators, we hope to understand the long-term effects of the space environment on multiple generations of mammals," said Wang.

"Mice astronauts" found act differently from earth mice: researchers

Former Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab has lauded China's inclusiveness, diversity and wisdom in its five-year plan and high-level opening-up process.

In an exclusive interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN), Diab said China has repeatedly demonstrated its dedication to these values through its actions and deliberate policy planning.

"I think the path that China is leading, and its self-evident Five-Year Plans, [both] over the past 14th Five-Year Plan and the current 15th Five-Year Plan, stress inclusiveness of cultural diversity, cultural diplomacy, openness to other societies, countries -- that echoes very well with people like me that [China] wants the world to benefit, not just a single country," said Diab.

"Lebanon is a very small country. We've been doing e-commerce, relatively small, compared to China, of course. I think it's great that China wants to open up to the world, and the success of China is actually having the world markets. You can have the greatest idea, but [what's the point] if you can't sell? So I'm very much for cooperation and collaboration between China and the rest of the world, and of course, Lebanon, my country. But I think it's a very unique perspective that the Chinese leadership, which I have much respect for, and of course, the Chinese people, that made it happen. Because, as I always say, they are hard-working people, and very committed people, very resilient people," he said.

The former prime minister also highlighted that the diversity of Chinese society and policies has solidified the foundation for its high-level opening-up process while ensuring that modernization can be achieved through multifaceted efforts.

"This is exactly what I was trying to say that China encourages diversity. And when I say diversity, not with respect to identity, with respect to modernization, success, pathways, industrialization. They are open to other ideas, to other civilizations, to other points of views. I mean, the world is not black and white. It's gray. Everybody has something to offer, one way or the other. So, having multiple paths for modernization, it's probably the right way. I mean, we're not photocopies of each other across the globe. What China did is great for China, and what China is recommending for other countries to do, is also great for these countries. But I'm saying, no country has full wisdom. It's the collective wisdom of everybody that will make a difference at the global level. That's what impressive about China," Diab said.

Former Lebanese PM lauds China's openness to all societies