FT261

WORM ASTRONAUTS
On 3 February, Iran successfully launched a rocket carrying a mouse, two turtles and a consignment of worms into space – a feat President Ahmadinejad said showed that Iran could defeat the West in the battle of technology. “Worms in space serve no purpose,” huffed a US expert. Independent, 4 Feb 2010.

DOING IT ON PORPOISE
Marine biologists blame dolphins for the growing number of dead harbour porpoises found on Californian beaches in recent years. Conservation group Okeanis shot a video of male bottlenose dolphins corralling a porpoise, ramming and drowning it, then bringing the carcass to researchers on a boat before swimming away.