Two ant eggs that recently returned from space had hatched, the Shanghai Evening Post reported Thursday.

The eggs returned the Earth on Oct. 15 after an 18-day space journey together with four ants and 28 ant eggs. The four ants died on the journey.

"The physical changes of the eggs (during their journey) will be important for scientific research,” said Ma Hong, president of Sichuan Gold Ants Biological Technology Development, the company behind the experiment.

The eggs were launched into space aboard China's 20th recoverable scientific satellite.

Like astronauts, the ants and eggs had experienced weightlessness, and radiation in space. Several eggs hatched in space, but the ants also died on the journey.

(Shenzhen Daily October 29, 2004)