It seems increasingly plausible that humans will colonize space. But to continue the human race as we know it, we would have to reproduce in space. Up until now, scientists weren't sure that was possible—one 2009 study conducted in simulated zero gravity, and another done in 1996 in which NASA scientists sent embryos to space, did not see any mammalian embryos develop.

But that was not the conclusion that was reached by a new study, which conducted on the Chinese microgravity satellite SJ-10. The researchers claim that their experiment proved for the first time that mammal embryos can develop normally in space, according to China Daily and Gizmodo.

The satellite launched into space on April 6, bringing 20 experiments with it. 6,000 mouse embryos were loaded into an enclosed chamber about a cubic foot in size. At launch, the embryos were only two cells, very early in their development, and were in a solution that fed the embryos the nutrients they needed to mature. The researchers outfitted the chamber with a camera that took photos of the embryos every four hours.