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Australian Spiders Travel To Space
Mike Parsons writes "CNN is reporting an interesting story on Australian spiders that will travel to space for a scientific experiment. Here is a quote: Eight spiders from Australia will make a trip to outer space to help the U.S. space agency test the effects of zero gravity. It's not the first time arachnids have been sent into space. In 1973, NASA sent Arabella, a common cross spider in the United States, into orbit on the Skylab space station."
I saw a news program that had some sort of zero gravity simulation using very strong magnetic fields. It was very similar to these machines, I believe. The zero-g chamber on the things is a tube about 6 inches long and 3 inches wide. Much to small for a human (the magnetic fields for something that big are prohibitive), but they put a strawberry, and then a spider inside. Both turned out just fine, but the spider looked like it got a bit seasick as is scambled around. Kinda cute to watch. I wish I could find some pictures.