Spiders in Space

Two weeks ago the University of Colorado College of Engineering sent two orb weaving spiders up in the space shuttle. The spiders' web building behavior was observed and streamed back to earth, serving as a classroom tool for teaching fifth though ninth graders about the effects of zero gravity. Great idea. Except when scientists opened up the second spider's box, they found it had escaped. Thus began the plot to a perfect B- Sci-Fi/Horror flick. Unfortunately for all of us safely earthbound observers, the other spider turned up in its buddy's box shortly thereafter, having succeeded only in giving the astronaut crew zero-gravity willies.

While technologically superior to earth spiders, space spiders have not yet mastered web building:

I, for one, could have done without the Eensy Weensy Spider remake.

Previous NASA arthropod research did not fare as well:

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tags: spider, tarantula, chicken-eating spider
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A loose spider on a space station.

Wow...that music is...um. Yes. Wow.

I had to bail on that first video because the music was so bad.

Just don't blame the spider for the music choice. Blame NASA! ;-O

the song makes this video unwatchable. brutal.

By caroline.farri… (not verified) on 01 Dec 2008 #permalink

Mute please.

From the second video...

We're sorry, currently our video library can only be strteamed within the United states...

Ban HULU! Disgusting racist censors!