Space geckos show their playful side on zero-gravity mission

Reptiles were previously considered unable to play, but a Russian space experiment has overturned that view thanks to a loosely fastened collar

They can walk on walls with ease and shed their tails when they find themselves in a tight spot, but the one thing geckos were thought to lack was a capacity for playfulness. Now, a space experiment has overturned the view that geckos are entirely serious creatures, showing that they are open to a spot of fun after all.

When given the opportunity, the Russian experiment found, geckos are happy to spend time batting an object around a tank at zero gravity.