Comments on: Spiders Adapt to Space, Weaving a Near-Perfect Web http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/22/spiders-adapt-to-space-weaving-a-near-perfect-web/ Space and astronomy news Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:17:24 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: robbb http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/22/spiders-adapt-to-space-weaving-a-near-perfect-web/comment-page-1/#comment-42683 robbb Mon, 24 Nov 2008 22:54:53 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21390#comment-42683 cool!!! cool!!!

]]> By: Huygens http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/22/spiders-adapt-to-space-weaving-a-near-perfect-web/comment-page-1/#comment-42566 Huygens Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:50:57 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21390#comment-42566 Maybe we should hire the spiders to run our space program. Clearly they know how to untangle and deal with a sticky situation. Maybe we should hire the spiders to run our space program.

Clearly they know how to untangle and deal with a sticky situation.

]]> By: Conic http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/22/spiders-adapt-to-space-weaving-a-near-perfect-web/comment-page-1/#comment-42377 Conic Sun, 23 Nov 2008 20:37:30 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21390#comment-42377 Sili that would be a great thing to study. I suspect their micro-g adaptations are additive, not a replacement of previous instincts. I would guess that they do pretty well back in gravity, perhaps after a day or two of getting used to things. Sili that would be a great thing to study. I suspect their micro-g adaptations are additive, not a replacement of previous instincts. I would guess that they do pretty well back in gravity, perhaps after a day or two of getting used to things.

]]> By: Sili http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/22/spiders-adapt-to-space-weaving-a-near-perfect-web/comment-page-1/#comment-42366 Sili Sun, 23 Nov 2008 19:05:40 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21390#comment-42366 Are they supposed to stay up there, or will they be going down on the shuttle again? I'm getting curious as to whether they'll now have the same trouble adjusting to regular gravity as a astro-/cosmonauts do. Are they supposed to stay up there, or will they be going down on the shuttle again?

I'm getting curious as to whether they'll now have the same trouble adjusting to regular gravity as a astro-/cosmonauts do.

]]> By: Conic http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/22/spiders-adapt-to-space-weaving-a-near-perfect-web/comment-page-1/#comment-42354 Conic Sun, 23 Nov 2008 17:55:56 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21390#comment-42354 "You are aware that "Arthropods" means all insects, crustaceans, arachnids, etc. together right? Did you mean just arachnid?" Click on my name. It will send you to one of my pages. Asking me if I was aware is somewhat redundant: the answer is almost always yes, as long as the person asking me isnt from the future. The biodiversity of life on earth can be described in this way: Arthropods, balance: trace other. There are several macro, and thousands of micro arthropods around you right now. Probably a few living on your body as well. They KICK ASS. I am not that shocked they did well in space, that is just another environment they are waiting to take over. "You are aware that "Arthropods" means all insects, crustaceans, arachnids, etc. together right? Did you mean just arachnid?"

Click on my name. It will send you to one of my pages. Asking me if I was aware is somewhat redundant: the answer is almost always yes, as long as the person asking me isnt from the future.

The biodiversity of life on earth can be described in this way: Arthropods, balance: trace other. There are several macro, and thousands of micro arthropods around you right now. Probably a few living on your body as well. They KICK ASS. I am not that shocked they did well in space, that is just another environment they are waiting to take over.

]]> By: Chris Jones http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/22/spiders-adapt-to-space-weaving-a-near-perfect-web/comment-page-1/#comment-42351 Chris Jones Sun, 23 Nov 2008 17:45:21 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21390#comment-42351 This is not a surprise: this is exactly the result obtained on Skylab over 30 years ago, the chaotic web, followed by the spiders tearing it apart and weaving a good one. If NASA and the experimenters are truly surprised, it's a sign they have run the "experiment" without studying prior history. If they are feigning surprise, it's a phony publicity stunt, not science. This is not a surprise: this is exactly the result obtained on Skylab
over 30 years ago, the chaotic web, followed by the spiders tearing it apart and weaving a good one. If NASA and the experimenters are truly surprised, it's a sign they have run the
"experiment" without studying prior history. If they are feigning surprise, it's a phony publicity stunt, not science.

]]> By: Nicholos Wethington http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/22/spiders-adapt-to-space-weaving-a-near-perfect-web/comment-page-1/#comment-42313 Nicholos Wethington Sun, 23 Nov 2008 14:34:06 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21390#comment-42313 This is just such a cool idea for an experiment! I was hoping they would weave dodecahedrons or something, but it's neat to find out that they adapted to weaving normal webs. Make me wonder if bees would be able to produce normal hives, or birds would be able to build normal nests in zero-g. Great article - as always - Ian. ~Nick This is just such a cool idea for an experiment! I was hoping they would weave dodecahedrons or something, but it's neat to find out that they adapted to weaving normal webs. Make me wonder if bees would be able to produce normal hives, or birds would be able to build normal nests in zero-g. Great article – as always – Ian.

~Nick

]]> By: Hunnter http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/22/spiders-adapt-to-space-weaving-a-near-perfect-web/comment-page-1/#comment-42294 Hunnter Sun, 23 Nov 2008 11:14:36 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21390#comment-42294 This never surprised me actually, if you look back you will see. I knew they would adapt pretty quickly, Spiders are used to having "down" in every direction. Insects tend to live in a very different world to larger animals. Glad to see they found the other one too! This never surprised me actually, if you look back you will see.
I knew they would adapt pretty quickly, Spiders are used to having "down" in every direction.

Insects tend to live in a very different world to larger animals.

Glad to see they found the other one too!

]]> By: john http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/22/spiders-adapt-to-space-weaving-a-near-perfect-web/comment-page-1/#comment-42287 john Sun, 23 Nov 2008 10:14:59 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21390#comment-42287 Miracles happen, not every thing is going to mess up just because the spiders are not human. Let us enjoy this surprise. Miracles happen, not every thing is going to mess up just because the spiders are not human. Let us enjoy this surprise.

]]> By: Newt http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/22/spiders-adapt-to-space-weaving-a-near-perfect-web/comment-page-1/#comment-42251 Newt Sun, 23 Nov 2008 04:51:54 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21390#comment-42251 You are aware that "Arthropods" means all insects, crustaceans, arachnids, etc. together right? Did you mean just arachnid? At any rate, I for one find the results surprising, I mean - it's not like natural selection ever "prepared" them for something like lack of gravity. Does the experiment have some sort of goal? Something they're supposed to learn? What conclusions can be drawn from this? You are aware that "Arthropods" means all insects, crustaceans, arachnids, etc. together right? Did you mean just arachnid?
At any rate, I for one find the results surprising, I mean – it's not like natural selection ever "prepared" them for something like lack of gravity.
Does the experiment have some sort of goal? Something they're supposed to learn? What conclusions can be drawn from this?

]]> By: Conic http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/22/spiders-adapt-to-space-weaving-a-near-perfect-web/comment-page-1/#comment-42235 Conic Sun, 23 Nov 2008 02:38:37 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21390#comment-42235 Arthropods kick ass. Arthropods kick ass.

]]> By: Vino http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/22/spiders-adapt-to-space-weaving-a-near-perfect-web/comment-page-1/#comment-42220 Vino Sun, 23 Nov 2008 01:11:22 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21390#comment-42220 It is a very interesting find indeed!! i am just wondering how far does this adaptability goes?? Can they survive extreme weather conditions like the after effects of an asteroid impact or masses which are thrown off after such an impact?? and so on and so forth....hmmm..looks like one can let imagination wander in this direction too.... It is a very interesting find indeed!! i am just wondering how far does this adaptability goes?? Can they survive extreme weather conditions like the after effects of an asteroid impact or masses which are thrown off after such an impact?? and so on and so forth….hmmm..looks like one can let imagination wander in this direction too….

]]> By: DJ Barney http://www.universetoday.com/2008/11/22/spiders-adapt-to-space-weaving-a-near-perfect-web/comment-page-1/#comment-42212 DJ Barney Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:25:59 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=21390#comment-42212 I have been amazed as anyone else. It seems like a classic case of adaptability. But I do wonder now if these spiders build those chaotic webs in certain circumstances ... when under stress for example ? No doubt the biologists and nature watchers could give me some answers. I have been amazed as anyone else. It seems like a classic case of adaptability. But I do wonder now if these spiders build those chaotic webs in certain circumstances … when under stress for example ? No doubt the biologists and nature watchers could give me some answers.

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