Fruit Flies in Space

On 9. July, 1947, fruit flies became the first living organism sent to space. Scientists studied the fruit flies and their reaction to radiation and zero-gravity, as fruit flies share many genes with humans. When the flies returned on the 20. February 1947, they were untouched by radiation, proving that radiation will not be a potential problem for future astronauts. These flies paved the way for monkeys, dogs, and eventually humans to be in space exploration programs.