0-G problems

Andy,

You are probably right. Maybe a hummingbird may find it easier since it can sort of rotates its wings I think. Other birds will probably obtain some random velocity and then shape their wings to glide in the desired direction - hovering may not be possible for these birds. Most small flying insects seem to hover so they may not have much problem, and air resistance will keep them healthy. Insects that crawl too may not have problem since they obtain traction by some adhesive process.

Zero g will probably be OK for the smaller life forms (gravity is no big deal for them on Earth too - I think). For larger life forms one cannot fully predict what will happen in the long run, especially in an evolutionary process; either they will all become spindly or they could become super gigantic like whales!

By now I think either USA or Russia would have tried to find out how a bird adjusts in zero G in one of their space stations ??

Regards
Selvaraj

Mike wrote:

I was very encouraged by the fact that it was Skylab's experience that
spiders could eventually learn to successfully spin normal webs in 0-G.
If something with a brain much smaller than the head of a pin can modify
its behavior to adapt to 0-G conditions, then it makes me optimistic
that anything with a bigger brain could as well.

The issue is not brains. After all an earthworm can do things a human cannot do.

Regards
Selvaraj

From: Andrew Goddard
To: spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 2:14 PM
Subject: RE: [spacesettlers] 0-G problems

Selvaraj wrote:

> This is not to disparage your idea. I got a little carried
> away imagining how funny life would be in zero g. Come to
> think of it, birds and insects will have no problem in
> controlled locomotion in a zero G hab - other than sensory
> loss if any!

No, I think this is wrong. Bird and insect flight has evolved in a 1-g
field. Wing flaps are used for propulsion, but mostly for lift. The
movement of birds' wings is primarily arranged to support the mass of
the bird - lots of websites investigate flight and are worth a look. In
zero-G, I suspect a bird can learn to adapt the motion to all thrust
and no lift, but it'll come at a cost of less efficiency and potential
strains and wear & tear on the skeleto-muscular system. Zero-g birds
will presumably evolve away from their planet-bound forms and take on a
modified form of "penguin flight" - wings and mechanics evolved for
zero-G.

Regards,

Andy