Two Headed Flatworms in Space

Flatworms have a very interesting way of staying alive. If they are cut in half, or if their head is cut off, they are able to regrow their missing body parts. Yet one thing scientists have never seen is a flatworm growing two heads after amputation, until they sent one into space. Scientists sent this flatworm, along with a few others, to determine how the surrounding environment would affect their regenerating tissues. 

On this worm, the scientists cut off both the head and the tail, leaving the mouth in the center of the body alone and expecting a new head and tail to grow back. Yet instead of a tail, a second head and a second mouth in the middle of it's body is what came back. It causes a lot of questions in people's minds, as well as mine. How could this specific environment cause such a drastic change in the regenerating tissues? 

Annalee Newitz - Jun 13, 2017 7:35 Pm UTC. "When Flatworms Go to Space, They Grow Two Heads." Ars Technica. Conde Nast, 13 June 2017. Web. 16 June 2017.