Posted: Mon, Sep 25, 2006, 8:03 AM ET (1203 GMT)
A Chinese satellite carrying hundreds of kilograms of seeds safely returned to Earth on Sunday after a 15-day mission in space. The Shijian 8 capsule parachuted to Earth, landing in the Sichuan province of southwestern China at 9:43 pm EDT Saturday (0143 GMT, 10:43am Beijing time Sunday). The capsule, launched on September 9, carried 215 kilograms of various types of seeds. Chinese scientists believe that exposing seeds to the space environment, including radiation and microgravity, leads to the development of crops of higher yields and quality.

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•  Xinhua article