Public chooses names for China's space-traveled mice

BEIJING -- A research team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) revealed the names of the four mice, which were part of a recent mission aboard China's space station, during a public science event on Saturday.

The mice have been named Wangtian, Lanyue, Zhuiyun, and Zhumeng, which respectively translate to "gaze at the sky," "reach for the moon," "chase the clouds" and "follow the dream." The announcement was accompanied by the release of cartoon illustrations of the mice, co-created with Xinhua News Agency.

On Oct 31, the four mice — numbered 6, 98, 154 and 186 — were chosen from 48 candidates and flown aboard the Shenzhou XXI crewed spacecraft to their temporary habitat in space. During the mission, Xinhua invited the public to propose names for the mice, with the final selections based on popular submissions online.

The mice safely returned to Earth with the Shenzhou XX crew on Nov 14.

"We have initiated a series of studies on the mice following their return," said Li Tianda, an expert at the Institute of Zoology (IOZ) of the CAS. "These studies aim to uncover how the space environment affects mammalian physiology and behavior, particularly in terms of stress response and adaptation."

The public science event themed "flying mice" will run for one month at the National Zoological Museum of China, offering the public a firsthand look at cutting-edge biological experiments conducted as part of China's major space programs.

The event is jointly organized by the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization and the IOZ under the CAS.