Space fauna

Astronaut animals: The exciting adventures of 10 creatures sent to space

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Long before Neil Armstrong took his giant leap for mankind, Earth had already launched a small army of unexpected explorers into the great unknown. Tiny insects, brave dogs, and even a cat with a heart of steel all played their part in humanity’s quest to reach the stars. They weren’t astronauts in shiny suits, but living test pilots whose journeys helped scientists learn how breathing, eating, and simply existing might change without gravity. Join us to discover the stories of 10 extraordinary creatures that helped pave the road to space.

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The very first travelers to leave our planet weren’t humans or even mammals, but fruit flies. In 1947, aboard a U.S. V-2 rocket, these tiny pioneers soared about 68 miles above Earth, crossing the invisible boundary between us and space. Scientists wanted to know how cosmic radiation might affect living beings, and to everyone’s surprise, the flies came back safe and sound. Their mission was short, but it marked the very first proof that life could survive a trip beyond our atmosphere. Not too shabby for creatures better known for buzzing around the kitchen fruit bowl!

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Meet Albert II, the pioneer who proved that even a small monkey could make history. In 1949, this brave male rhesus macaque rode a U.S. rocket 83 miles above Earth, becoming the very first primate—and first mammal—to cross into space. His mission lasted only minutes, but it offered priceless information about how living bodies respond to extreme altitude and near-weightlessness. Although scientists carefully tracked his pulse, breathing, and movements, Albert died upon landing. His courage, nevertheless, didn’t go unnoticed.

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Years before humans ever circled the globe, the Soviet Union roamed the streets of Moscow looking for its first space traveler. They finally found Laika, a gentle, stray dog with big eyes and a calm spirit. In 1957, she boarded Sputnik 2 and became the first living being to orbit Earth, gazing down on the planet from hundreds of miles above. Though her journey was brief, her bravery left a lasting mark. Laika went on to become a symbol of courage and curiosity, inspiring dreamers, scientists, and explorers of every kind, both on two legs and four.

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Imagine a space capsule gliding above Earth with a chimpanzee wearing a miniature spacesuit inside, calmly flipping switches like a pro. That was Ham, NASA’s first chimp to truly pilot a spacecraft. In 1961, his flight aboard Mercury-Redstone 2 sought to prove that a living being could stay focused and respond to instructions even while floating weightless. Ham’s quick thinking and steady nerves impressed scientists everywhere and made him a celebrity overnight. For a minute, he was America’s coolest astronaut, tail and all!

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A cat in space? Oui, indeed! In the autumn of 1963, France made history by sending Félicette, a small black-and-white stray cat, on a pioneering 13-minute journey beyond Earth’s atmosphere. Carefully selected from a group of feline candidates, she was fitted with delicate electrodes designed to record her brain activity and vital signs as she ascended skyward. During her brief but extraordinary voyage, scientists on Earth monitored every heartbeat. Against all odds, she returned safely, landing back on her home planet with quiet poise. Félicette became not only the first but also the only cat ever to venture into space.

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No rush, no panic, but calm, deliberate space travel at its finest. In 1968, two humble steppe tortoises from the Soviet Union became unlikely pioneers of cosmic exploration when they were placed aboard the spacecraft Zond 5, bound for a historic lunar orbit. While humans were still dreaming of walking on the Moon, these patient reptiles were already circling it, gliding silently through the vastness of space inside their small capsule. For seven days, they endured the journey without complaint, adapting to microgravity with the quiet resilience that defines their kind. When Zond 5 finally returned to Earth, the tortoises were found alive and in good health.

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Imagine being rocketed into orbit only to end up dizzy and nauseous. That was the fate of two unsuspecting bullfrogs in 1970. NASA, ever curious about how living creatures handle the unusual conditions, sent the amphibious pair into space to study how balance functions without gravity’s pull. As the frogs tumbled and twirled in their tiny capsule, scientists were able to learn how the inner ear adjusts when "up" and "down" no longer exist. It might have been a disorienting ride for the frogs, but it turned out to be a ribbiting leap forward for science!

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A web with no spatial sense? That was the mystery NASA set out to explore in 1973 when two pioneering spiders, Arabella and Anita, hitched a ride aboard Skylab. Their mission: to prove an arachnid could weave a proper web in the floating world of microgravity. At first, their silken constructions were lopsided and chaotic; yet, the spiders quickly adapted. Within just a few days, they were spinning near-perfect circular webs, as if gravity had never mattered at all.

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In the late 1970s, NASA scientists wanted to observe how aquatic life would behave beyond Earth’s pull. They released a few small fish inside a spacecraft and were surprised to find them "swimming" through the air. With no gravity to anchor them, the fish instinctively paddled their fins as though suspended in an invisible, weightless sea. Their silvery bodies drifted gracefully in slow motion like tiny astronauts in scales. The result was both scientific and poetic: a surreal, floating aquarium quietly orbiting the stars.

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Did you know there’s a creature so resilient it can survive outer space? Tardigrades, affectionately known as "water bears", are microscopic beings capable of withstanding extremes that would destroy almost any other life form. In 2007, scientists exposed them directly to the vacuum of space with no suit, no shield, and no oxygen. The tardigrades endured blistering radiation, freezing temperatures, and complete dehydration. Yet, many of them simply shrugged it off and carried on living. Tough doesn’t even begin to describe these nearly indestructible little astronauts that are probably the hardiest beings not just on Earth, but in the entire universe.

Tools of yore

You won’t believe where these 10 everyday items really came from

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Modern life depends on a surprising number of ancient or overlooked inventions. From common kitchen tools to office supplies, many everyday items have roots buried deep in history. Some were invented by accident, others by necessity—but most have a backstory you’ve likely never heard. Here are 10 objects you use regularly that carry a legacy most people forget.

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Invented in ancient Egypt around 1500 BCE, the earliest scissors were made of bronze and operated with a spring mechanism.

The modern pivoted scissors, as we know them today, appeared in Rome around 100 CE. Leonardo da Vinci even improved their design while using them for fine arts and tailoring.

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The paperclip was never patented for its most iconic shape—the Gem clip—because it was already in commercial use before its design could be protected.

Invented in the late 19th century, the paperclip's rise paralleled the spread of mass bureaucracy. During WWII, Norwegians wore them as symbols of resistance against the Nazis, defying a ban on national symbols.

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The first bristle toothbrush originated in China during the 15th century, featuring hog hair bristles set into bamboo or bone handles.

Mass production in the West didn’t happen until 1780, when Englishman William Addis created one in prison, of all places. Nylon bristles only appeared in 1938, giving us the modern version still used today.

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The zipper began as a "clasp locker" in 1893, designed by Whitcomb Judson to fasten shoes.

It wasn't until 1913 that Gideon Sundback refined the mechanism into what resembles the zipper we use today. It caught on after being used in military gear and was later popularized in fashion by designers like Elsa Schiaparelli.

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Forks were once considered scandalous. Introduced to Europe by Byzantine royalty in the 11th century, they were mocked for being "effeminate."

Consequently, their adoption was slow. By the 17th century, forks became standard at aristocratic tables in Italy and France, but didn’t become common in England or America until the 18th century.

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Shockingly, canned food came before the can opener—and by decades! To make matters worse, early cans were so thick they had to be opened with chisels or bayonets.

Ezra Warner patented the first can opener in 1858, and a rotating-wheel design followed in 1870. The modern safety can opener with a side-cutting wheel wasn’t patented until 1956.

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Ancient Babylonians made soap around 2800 BCE from water, alkali, and cassia oil. The word "soap" comes from Mount Sapo, where Roman legend says animal fat and ash ran into the Tiber River.

Despite its ancient origins, soap didn’t become widely used for personal hygiene until the 19th century, when cholera outbreaks underscored the need for better sanitation.

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Created by accident, the adhesive used in Post-it Notes was originally a failed attempt to make a super-strong glue.

In 1974, Art Fry used the weak adhesive to mark pages in his hymnal. Realizing its potential, 3M released the product nationwide in 1980, and it became a staple in offices and schools worldwide.

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Swiss engineer George de Mestral invented Velcro in 1941 after noticing burrs sticking to his dog’s fur during a hike.

It took over a decade to perfect the manufacturing process. NASA popularized Velcro in the 1960s for use in zero-gravity environments, boosting its civilian use.

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Sylvan Goldman, owner of a grocery chain, invented the shopping cart in 1937 to help customers buy more.

Customers initially resisted using them, so Goldman hired actors to push them around stores to normalize the concept. Today, over 25 million carts are used in the U.S. alone.