Other than humans are there any other organisms with a brain that learn how to maneuver or act normal in 0 gravity? I saw a video of cats and pigeons at 0 gravity freak out but in time could they adapt?
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$\begingroup$ NASA have run experiments with mice on the ISS. $\endgroup$– Steve LintonApr 28, 2018 at 10:20
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$\begingroup$ There was the chimpanzee Ham flying with Mercury-Redstone2, the first ape in space (suborbital). $\endgroup$– UweApr 28, 2018 at 11:06
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$\begingroup$ Ham was strapped down the whole mission. $\endgroup$– Organic MarbleApr 28, 2018 at 11:18
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$\begingroup$ But Ham acted in zero gravity like before on Earth. $\endgroup$– UweApr 28, 2018 at 14:57
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$\begingroup$ I've just asked When was there a dog in ISS's Kibo module? $\endgroup$– uhohApr 29, 2018 at 4:14
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The cat and pigeon tests were done on parabolic flights in an airplane.
Quail have been brought to space. They didn't do well. They had trouble eating and had to be fed.
During the 7-day tour of weightlessness on Mir, though they could feed themselves, the quails seemed not to have an appetite for the spice of life. Researchers observed arrest of ovulation in the hens and a mutual “absolute apathy” to mating.
They were unable to fly in microgravity.
Mice do adapt to microgravity:
Do the animals like living in microgravity? Does floating instead of walking confuse them? "Amazingly, they adapt very quickly," says Laura Lewis, a member of NASA Ames Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. "Within 5 minutes, mice are floating in their living spaces, grooming themselves, and eating, just as they would on Earth."
What are some of the results of animals in orbit? Fish and tadpoles swim in loops, rather than straight lines, because there is no up or down to orient them, Lewis says. If a light shines, the fish use that as their guide source and swim towards the light. Baby mammals have a hard time in space because they normally huddle for warmth-and in space, it's hard to huddle when bodies drift and float. It's also difficult for babies to nurse when they can't locate their mother's nipple.
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2$\begingroup$ Spacelab 3 shuttle mission (51-b) flew two monkeys. The crew reportedly HATED this since the animal enclosures did not contain the monkey's waste products very well. $\endgroup$ May 1, 2018 at 19:34