Space sperm stars

HEALTHY mice have been born using frozen sperm stored in space.

The babies raise the hopes of a human settlement on Mars.

The Japanese team behind the experiment stored mouse sperm on the International Space Station for nine months, 220 miles above Earth. It was then used to fertilise a mouse back on land and it produced offspring.

Researchers say it is a first step to see if human reproduction could happen in space, where high levels of radiation might damage sperm and eggs.