The YouTube Space Spider That Just Returned To Earth Is Already Dead

A few days ago, we told you about the jumping spider that YouTube helped send to space. It was part of one of the winning projects from the YouTube Space Lab experiment launched last year. Google anno...
The YouTube Space Spider That Just Returned To Earth Is Already Dead
Written by Chris Crum
  • A few days ago, we told you about the jumping spider that YouTube helped send to space. It was part of one of the winning projects from the YouTube Space Lab experiment launched last year. Google announced that the spider had returned safely home from the International Space Station, and was moving into its new home at the Smithsonian.

    Now, that spider, named Nefertiti, has reportedly died of natural causes five days after its introduction to the museum.

    The LA Times shares a statement form museum spokesperson Kelly Carnes: “The unexpected loss of this special animal who inspired so many imaginations will be felt throughout the museum community….The body of Nefertiti will be added to the museum’s collection of specimens where she will continue to contribute to our understanding of spiders.”

    The spider spent 100 days in space, and traveled a reported 42 million miles before returning to Earth. It was 10 months old. Apparently this species typically only lives up until about a year.

    Here’s a video that has more about the experiment:

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