Two golden silk orb weavers lived on the ISS for two months; most space-built webs became nearly symmetric, but under light the spiders used brightness as a new sense of upA fascinating study involving spiders in the International Space Station concluded that in microgravity, these creatures built webs that ex...
06 Sep, 2026, 02.30 PM IST
In 1994, 300 young male fruit flies flew for 14.5 days on IML-2; repeated video showed their locomotor activity rose sharply while they were in microgravityIn 1994, fruit flies were launched into space, revealing significantly heightened activity levels in microgravity. These flies aged more ra...
06 Sep, 2026, 01.30 PM IST
In 1966, Gemini 9 and Gemini 12 exposed fungal spores and viruses directly to space; a 0.4 mm aluminum shield kept fungal spores alive and boosted virus survival 3,000-foldEarly space missions tested microbial survival outside spacecraft without protection. Fungal spores and viruses showed very low survival ra...
06 Sep, 2026, 01.00 PM IST
In 2015, Japan exposed bacteria outside the ISS for 3 years; some clumps survived, while thicker ones were estimated to last longerJapanese researchers launched the resilient bacteria Deinococcus into orbit aboard the International Space Station. Remarkably, these micro...
05 Sep, 2026, 01.00 PM IST
In 2021, NASA grew Hatch chile peppers on the International Space Station; over 137 days, the plants produced harvestable fruit with unusually straight stemsIn 2021, NASA astronauts successfully cultivated Hatch chile peppers aboard the International Space Station, observing that the lack of gra...
04 Sep, 2026, 08.27 PM IST
In 1995, NASA sent 30 fertilised Japanese quail eggs to the Mir space station for 16 days; what scientists found after they returned raised new questions about life without gravityIn 1995, NASA launched a fascinating experiment by sending fertilized quail eggs to the Mir space station. The objective was to explore how...
04 Sep, 2026, 07.50 PM IST
Toyohiro Akiyama dies at 84: Japan’s first person in space was a journalist who live-reported from Mir and observed six tree frogs in zero gravityToyohiro Akiyama, the trailblazing figure and Japan's first civilian in space, has passed away at the age of 84. His remarkable journey to ...
03 Sep, 2026, 11.16 AM IST
In 2000, a crew for the first time headed for the International Space Station aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket for four months to prepare ISS facility for researchIn 2000, a crew for the first time headed for the International Space Station aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket for four months to prepare ISS ...
03 Sep, 2026, 01.51 AM IST
In 2010, NASA launched a 12-pound, loaf-of-bread-sized satellite with two Bacillus populations; radiation exposure reached about 15 times that of the ISS orbitNASA's O/OREOS mission embarked on an exciting journey to observe how bacteria withstand the rigors of space radiation. The compact satelli...
02 Sep, 2026, 02.30 PM IST
In 2006, ISS astronauts threw an old Russian spacesuit stuffed with clothes into orbit; SuitSat circled Earth twice before its radio signal became unexpectedly weakAstronauts launched an old spacesuit, SuitSat-1, as a makeshift satellite in 2006. This creative experiment aimed to transmit messages and ...
01 Sep, 2026, 06.30 PM IST
In 2009, NASA sent four painted lady caterpillars to the ISS; reports said all four completed metamorphosis and emerged as adult butterflies in microgravityIn 2009, four painted lady caterpillars made their way to the International Space Station, embarking on a unique journey. In the absence of...
29 Aug, 2026, 06.54 PM IST
On STS-51B, NASA flew 24 rats and 2 squirrel monkeys with Spacelab-3; one monkey showed space sickness while the rats returned with muscle lossIn 1985, Challenger carried rats and monkeys to study microgravity's effects. One monkey experienced space sickness, mirroring human astron...
28 Aug, 2026, 01.20 PM IST
In 2015, astronauts brewed espresso in orbit and drank it from a 3D-printed cup; surface tension pulled the coffee toward their lips without gravityAstronauts can now drink coffee normally in space thanks to a special 3D-printed cup. This innovative design utilizes capillary flow to mov...
27 Aug, 2026, 01.00 PM IST
In 2018, a laboratory was launched to the International Space Station to study ultra-cold quantum gases in the microgravity environmentIn 2018, a laboratory was launched to the International Space Station to study ultra-cold quantum gases in the microgravity environment. NA...
27 Aug, 2026, 01.36 AM IST
In 2023, NASA grew tomatoes for 100 days aboard the space station; ground plants produced more than 100, while the space crop yielded 12 and was not eatenNASA's tomato experiment on the International Space Station faced major hurdles in microgravity, where watering issues resulted in uneven m...
26 Aug, 2026, 02.40 PM IST
In 2015, NASA astronauts ate space-grown lettuce in orbit for the first time; fresh food may also help support crew morale on long missionsAstronauts aboard the International Space Station made history by eating lettuce that was grown in microgravity. This significant event sho...
26 Aug, 2026, 01.20 PM IST
In 2014, NASA sent 800 ants to the International Space Station to study how they search without gravity; some spent seconds tumbling through the airResearchers sent ants to the International Space Station to investigate their behavior under microgravity. This unique environment posed ch...
25 Aug, 2026, 09.49 PM IST