Iran says it shot this terrified-looking monkey into space

Iran — which claimed to have rocketed a mouse, turtle and worms into space in 2010 — may have added another member to its alleged astronaut menagerie. On Monday, a report on state TV said that the country had successfully shot a monkey 72 miles into space in a rocket dubbed Pishgam, the Farsi word for "pioneer." The unconfirmed announcement sparked concern that a space program could help Iran develop nuclear long-range missiles, but Iran insists it's interested only in monitoring natural disasters and boosting telecommunications and military surveillance. That won't help alleviate concern about the monkey, though, who looks downright terrified in photos purportedly showing his return to Earth. Poor thing. [Source]

Click to see more on msnNOW.com, updated 24 hours a day.