Nefertiti, the Spidernaut, Darcy Pattison
Nefertiti, the Spidernaut, Darcy Pattison
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Nefertiti, the Spidernaut
The Jumping Spider Who Learned to Hunt in Space

Author: Darcy Pattison

Narrator: Greg Robinson

Unabridged: 17 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Mims House

Published: 10/11/2016


Synopsis

THE AMAZING VOYAGE OF NEFERTITI, THE SPIDERNAUTMost spiders spin a web and passively wait for prey to come to them. Jumping spiders, by contrast, actively hunt by jumping to catch their food. What if a jumping spider was sent to the International Space Station? When it jumped, it would simply float. No one knew if the spider could hunt in a weightless environment.
This nonfiction picture book for elementary kids chronicles the amazing voyage of Nefertiti, the Spidernaut to the International Space Station and back. She’s a Phiddipus johnsonii, or Johnson jumping spider, native to western United States. Her colorful anatomy—red, black and teal—made for stunning photography and video. In 2012, Nefertitti clocked a record-breaking 100 days in space, during which time she circled Earth about 1584 times, traveling about 41,580,000 miles.
Astronaut Sunita Williams, Captain U.S. Navy said, “It was a suspense story for me as it happened. I didn’t know if she would survive when I unpacked her for the first time, or when I packed her up and sent her back home to Earth.”
This is an astonishing story of change: through the dark and cold, in spite of being weightless and isolated, this incredible spider adapted and learned to hunt. Against all odds, she survived to return to Earth, where she had to re-adapt to Earth’s gravity. Nefertiti’s story of survival brings hope that we, too, can adapt to a changing world.Join Nefertiti in this inspiring journey into space.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Sandra

If a jumping spider can learn to adapt to living in space, can we, too? That's what scientists are always asking themselves with many of the experiments they undertake on the International Space Station, and Nefertiti the jumping spider spent 100 days in her own special housing, showing everyone jus......more

Goodreads review by Laura

This is an interesting book detailing an actual experiment from beginning to end. Can a jumping spider learn to hunt insects in zero-G on the international space station? The spider, earth-bound scientist, and astronaut are all female, so that was pretty cool. (Note: I hate spiders and I find the cov......more

Goodreads review by Sandy

If you love the natural world, and are fascinated by the amazing abilities of animals then you must read, “Nefertiti The Spidernaut.” Darcy brings to life Nefertiti, a spider who goes into space for 100 days to be apart of a science experiment. The beauty of her words gives us a firsthand experience......more

Goodreads review by Claudia

"NEFERTITI, The Spidernaut" is such a captivating explanation of a science experiment done with a Jumping Spider that takes place before and after travelling to the International Space Station (ISS). The story has all the enticing features of a fiction recount in a NON FICTION story: a sound witty m......more

Goodreads review by Sandra

Darcy Pattison has written a wonderful and informative story about a spider who went to space. Nefertiti was a Johnson Jumping Spider. She was chosen because she was the largest of her siblings. They wanted to see if she could adapt to zero gravity to hunt in space. They sent along a food supply of f......more