Butterflies In Space Station: Butterflies Attempt To Fly In Space And Fail

[Kara Sundstrom]

Butterflies In Space Station: Butterflies Attempt To Fly In Space And Fail (VIDEO)

Posted: 12- 5-09 02:47 PM


The University of Kansas and Bioserve Technologies decided to send some monarch butterfly larvae to the International Space Station, provide them with microgravity (the nearest thing to feeling weightless) and see whether or not the caterpillars would become butterflies. The creatures did manage to metamorphose, but now that they're butterflies, the poor things absolutely cannot fly. The low gravity conditions fling them into a chaotic and rapid flight pattern that sends them banging around the plastic cages they're living in.

The first video is of Dr. Chip Taylor, the director of Monarch Watch, explaining the experiment. The second is a video of the results of Monarch Watch, and the third seems to be a pair of butterflies who got stuck together. Take a look and let us know what you think.

[Kara Sundstrom]

Monarch butterflies in space

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3lcgYNyCvU&feature=player_embedded

[Kara Sundstrom]

Butterflies in Space,Painted lady, Flight, Wide Angle, 12-2-09, BioServe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xKzL_jIMdA&feature=player_embedded

[Kara Sundstrom]

Butterflies in Space, Monarch, Flight, Wide Angle, 12-03-09, BioServe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzkgJUmQ1K4&feature=player_embedded