NASA astronaut reacts to “spiders” on the ISS

There have been some unusual sights on the International Space Station. Elvis. A gorilla costume. Flatworms. Yoda. But spiders floating freely around the ISS? Only in the imagination of an astronaut.

NASA astronaut and current ISS crew member Megan McArthur on Thursday shared what could be considered a space “shower thought”. It all depends on how she instinctively sees spiders in tiny random objects.

McArthur tweeted, “Is it strange that after 100 days on the space station, when I see a small piece of stuffed animal or food floating around, my body still reacts like ‘SPIDER !!’ a fraction of a second before my brain could ring: “Relax, you’re in space, remember? No spiders. “

Is it weird that after 100 days @Space station, when I see a small piece of stuffed animal or food floating around, my body always reacts like “SPIDER !! A fraction of a second before my brain could ring, “Relax, you’re in space, remember?” No spiders.

– Megan McArthur (@Astro_Megan) August 5, 2021

It shows how some of the familiar human reactions we have on Earth don’t just go away when we’re in orbit.

NASA’s ISS Research Twitter Account Has Raised with a piece of history. “While there are no spiders with you now, there have been spiders stationed for research,” NASA said. “Golden spiders were sent into space to study if and how arachnids weave their webs differently in microgravity.”

While there are no spiders with you now, there have been spiders on the station for research! Golden spiders have been sent into space to study if and how arachnids weave their webs differently in microgravity. Educators can use this guide to explore study! https://t.co/5L9oIVM9g6

– ISS Research (@ISS_Research) August 5, 2021

The spider mission was back in 2011, and to our knowledge, none of the web dwellers escaped to run free in the resort’s wilderness. As for the experiment, the researchers found that the spiders’ space webs closely resemble the ones they weave on Earth.

McArthur doesn’t have to worry about arachnids, but she has had other tiny life forms for company in orbit, including baby squids and tardigrades. At least they’re pretty creatures.

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