by Mike Krumboltz

One small step for man. One giant leap for the double helix. Stephen Colbert, a man whose steely gravitas has turned his Comedy Central talk show into a runaway hit, has launched a sample of his own DNA into outer space. Really.

News of the event stirred the buzz into a fine froth. Apparently, Colbert's DNA will be digitized and transported to the International Space Station. There, the TV personality's essence will be preserved in the event aliens may one day wish to clone him. And really, why wouldn't they?

Various sources, including CNN, made it clear that this stunt was done with its tongue firmly in cheek, but Colbert, ever the pro, didn't tip his hand. The comedian said that he was thrilled to have his DNA shot into space as it brings him another step closer to his dream of being the baby at the end of "2001: A Space Odyssey." Take that, bears!