Are There Animals In Space?

Probably a weird question, but is there any research on this? There's no thread linked in the index for this so I figured I should ask this.

I don't mean animals that are in other planets (because there sure are), but rather, actual animals that are flying (walking?) freely in space itself. So yeah, is there any reported sighting or research on these "beasts"?

By the way, I am talking about animals, not humanoids.

NASA got pictures of space yetis, I bet ya, they must have!

That depends on what you consider an "animal". I consider "my" animal to be a person as weird as that may seem.

reply to post by Cricious


You mean these guys...??

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/94f09f6b9a39.jpg[/atsimg]

Just kidding.

But seriously, animals living in space?? Something like a space yellyfish? Could be, but what would it eat?


Peace

Unless there are "animals" out there that can create a protective bubble around themselves to shield themselves from the near-absolute zero frigid temperatures, complete lack of any breathable atmosphere and onslaught of cosmic radiation, no, I don't think there are life-forms (other than microscopic) that can survive in interplanetary space.

I don't mean animals that are in other planets (because there sure are), but rather, actual animals that are flying (walking?) freely in space itself. So yeah, is there any reported sighting or research on these "beasts"?

Sort of swimming through space like the way fish swim through water? Sky/space fish?

Considering the extremophiles that live around odd places...........definitely maybe

I think I saw something like that mentioned on TV once.

We can live in "space". Are not WE[/b animals too

ive heard of 'critters' that live in the upper atmosphere. they were seen in the STS-tether video a few years back.
apparently they are the ones with the hole in the centre, like a doughnut.
i'll try find an article i read about them a while back

I've seen a random video on youtube of sky serpents or something like that, was interesting footage but don't know of its legitimacy

reply to post by Cricious


Ya know, I've often wondered the same thing myself. I think a lot of people assume that life has to have the same conditions as we have here on Earth in order to survive. Who's to say that there aren't life forms that have adapted to living without oxygen, water and the other things that are necessary to life here on Earth. I think it's a possibility.

Originally posted by ProphecyPhD
We can live in "space". Are not WE animals too

We are. We are mammals, yes, but I really was looking for answers that didn't include humanoid beings. At any rate, thanks for your input.

Originally posted by gemineye
reply to post by Cricious

 

Ya know, I've often wondered the same thing myself. I think a lot of people assume that life has to have the same conditions as we have here on Earth in order to survive. Who's to say that there aren't life forms that have adapted to living without oxygen, water and the other things that are necessary to life here on Earth. I think it's a possibility.

Exactly! The universe is vast. As far as my opinion goes, there's no way we can know for sure that other living things out there have exactly the same needs as us.

Originally posted by gemineye
reply to post by Cricious

 

Ya know, I've often wondered the same thing myself. I think a lot of people assume that life has to have the same conditions as we have here on Earth in order to survive. Who's to say that there aren't life forms that have adapted to living without oxygen, water and the other things that are necessary to life here on Earth. I think it's a possibility.

i agree with you 100%

If you don't live on Earth you don't need Earths resources.

Originally posted by Cricious
I don't mean animals that are in other planets (because there sure are), but rather, actual animals that are flying (walking?) freely in space itself. So yeah, is there any reported sighting or research on these "beasts"?

By the way, I am talking about animals, not humanoids.

Flying in space. You mean floating right. Unless they have a different composition than us and they just fall to the "bottom".

What do you consider "humanoid"?? Two eyes, two legs and two ears

Originally posted by constant_thought
I've seen a random video on youtube of sky serpents or something like that, was interesting footage but don't know of its legitimacy

Well, I know an Earth based creature called a waterbear or tardigrade, can survive in space for quite some time and at some pretty amazing conditions as well. Allow me to consult the all knowing Seer Wikipedia.

Scientists have reported tardigrades in hot springs, on top of the Himalayas, under layers of solid ice and in ocean sediments. Many species can be found in a milder environment like lakes, ponds and meadows, while others can be found in stone walls and roofs. Tardigrades are most common in moist environments, but can stay active wherever they can retain at least some moisture.
Hypsibius dujardini imaged with a scanning electron microscope

Tardigrades are one of the few groups of species that are capable of reversibly suspending their metabolism and going into a state of cryptobiosis. Several species regularly survive in a dehydrated state for nearly ten years. Depending on the environment they may enter this state via anhydrobiosis, cryobiosis, osmobiosis or anoxybiosis. While in this state their metabolism lowers to less than 0.01% of normal and their water content can drop to 1% of normal. Their ability to remain desiccated for such a long period is largely dependent on the high levels of the non-reducing sugar, trehalose, which protects their membranes. In this cryptobiotic state the tardigrade is known as a tun.[19]

Tardigrades have been known to withstand the following extremes while in this state:

Temperature – tardigrades can survive being heated for a few minutes to 151 °C (424 K),[citation needed] or being chilled for days at -200 °C (73 K),[citation needed] or for a few minutes at -272 °C (~1 degree above absolute zero).[9]
Pressure – they can withstand the extremely low pressure of a vacuum and also very high pressures, more than 1,200 times atmospheric pressure. Tardigrades can survive the vacuum of open space and solar radiation combined for at least 10 days.[9] Some species can also withstand pressure of 6,000 atmospheres, which is nearly six times the pressure of water in the deepest ocean trench, Mariana trench.[13]
Dehydration – tardigrades have been shown to survive nearly 10 years in a dry state.[20] When encountered by extremely low temperatures, their body composition goes from 85% water to only 3%. As water expands upon freezing, dehydration ensures the tardigrades do not get ripped apart by the freezing ice (as waterless tissues cannot freeze).[21]
Radiation – tardigrades can withstand median lethal doses of 5,000 Gy (of gamma-rays) and 6,200 Gy (of heavy ions) in hydrated animals (5 to 10 Gy could be fatal to a human).[22] The only explanation thus far for this ability is that their lowered water state provides fewer reactants for the ionizing radiation.[citation needed] In September 2007, a space launch (Foton-M3) showed that tardigrades can survive the extreme environment of outer space for 10 days. After being rehydrated back on Earth, over 68% of the subjects protected from high-energy UV radiation survived and many of these produced viable embryos, and a handful had survived full exposure to solar radiation.[9]
Environmental toxins – tardigrades can undergo chemobiosis—a cryptobiotic response to high levels of environmental toxins. However, these laboratory results have yet to be verified.[23][24]

On May 16, 2011, tardigrades were sent into space along with other extremophiles on STS-134, the final flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour.[25]

en.wikipedia.org...

So I think it's pretty possible for creatures to exist in space that are hardy enough to live there. Probably not in ALL space or EVERYWHERE, but in certain places it would not surprise me to find creatures adapting.

reply to post by DieBravely


so are these what are referred to as space serpents? And anyways from where would they get nourishment? What I'm saying is, sure they maybe be able to survive for some time, but that doesn't mean they could really live in space, just last for a bit.

Any living being that humans consider "lesser" than them is considered an animal. If an extraterrestrial being with more knowledge than us saw humans would they not consider us animals as well

Originally posted by Curiousa
reply to post by DieBravely

 

so are these what are referred to as space serpents? And anyways from where would they get nourishment? What I'm saying is, sure they maybe be able to survive for some time, but that doesn't mean they could really live in space, just last for a bit.

You are thinking on Earth terms. Who knows what space travelers eat. Seriously. They live in "space" and we no nothing about that.

This question has actually occured to me a few times as well. Watching the Star Trek film when they travelled back in time to 80's San Fran or TNG episodes where they encounter a being that seems to be moving freely in space just as the starship would.

This begs the questio raised by a few members here about the physics of such travel and the hospitality of living in the conditions of space. You know, extreme temperature changes, zero gravity, immense radiaton, in fact yu name it and I'm sure there is something comparable in space.

I saw look at a microcosm of life here on earth. We have humans that live in extreme temperatures. Humans that are adapted to live in the city while thers have adapted to a more rural existence. There are plants that can grow in almost every ecosystem on earth, and animals as well. Then we get dow to the microscopic realm. Those little guys are everywhere.

So I would say that the answer is probably yes. And there are probably cckraches there too. Thse guys get everywhere!

Here is a link to a theory on Energyzoa www.tarrdaniel.com...