NASA Sent Thousands of Jellyfish to Space in 1991. The Babies Born Up There Couldn’t Handle Earth
Key Takeaways Space-born jellyfish couldn’t find “down.” Polyps that developed in orbit looked normal but showed pulsing and orientation problems about six times more often than Earth-grown controls. Gravity sensing is learned during development. Jellyfish orient using crystal-filled statocysts. Built in microgravity, that system came out miswired. It’s a warning for life beyond Earth. Organisms […]
