In the early NASA days they decided to take a few bees, birds, ants and other smaller animals into space to see what they'd do. In a briefing, one of the staff said that birds would die of dehydration within a day or so. Thus ended the study of birds in space.. Any idea why the birds would die in space?
2006-09-21 15:44:49 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
This is just a guess, but could it have to do with the way that birds drink? Most animals can lick water off a water tube (like the ones on a hamster's water bottle), but the birds I've seen get a bill full of water and tip their heads back.
If that's the case, they would't be able to swallow the water before it floated away due to low gravity. They'd die of dehydration in a short time because it would be physically impossible for them to drink without artificial gravity.
Like I said, this is purely a guess on my part.
2006-09-21 15:56:17 · answer #1 · answered by Wolfeblayde 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I found that they are bringing birds into space!
"Besides being precocious, quail and chicken hatchlings are ideal models for space experimentation. Being precocious afford birds fully functional sensory structures upon hatching. Thus, hatchlings can walk and balance, and have fully functional vision. Other attractive features of the avian developmental model are that it has been studied for centuries with a wealth of information accumulated on its development, behavior and survival. Furthermore, fertile eggs can develop in space in self-contained system (shell) that do not require crew time, a valuable commodity in space. Birds can also potentially provide a rich source of protein for long duration flights."
2006-09-21 15:49:07 · answer #2 · answered by redunicorn 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
...rapid decompression due to lack of atmosphere. Dehydration is the least of a bird's worries.
Pretty sure they'd explode first. Lol
2006-09-21 15:50:50 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My guess would be that birds, unlike mammals, rely on gravity to drink water. Mammals can ingest food and water in any orientation using the muscles of the esophagus.
2006-09-21 15:54:11 · answer #4 · answered by gone 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, they would die in space because there's no oxygen there. It's also really cold. As for dehydration...well, if water wasn't provided and they were up there for too long, then yes...they would die of dehydration.
2006-09-21 15:47:49 · answer #5 · answered by Shaun 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Birds are not as smart as mammals. When they feel weightlessness, they would imagine they were falling so they would always try to fly. They would not think of drinking or eating. They will die of exhaustion.
2006-09-21 20:57:49 · answer #6 · answered by E. C. 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
animals can't swallow food or water in a no gravity environment. they need gravity to help them swallow or they will choke. the birds don't drink water because they will choke
2006-09-21 15:55:08 · answer #7 · answered by oldguy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because there is no water in space
2006-09-21 15:47:19 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
without gravity they had no way to swallow the water, no musles to force liquid down.
2006-09-21 15:54:13 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They have EXPLOSIVE DECOMPRESSION to worry about.
2006-09-21 16:24:33 · answer #10 · answered by Eddy G 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋