Why are there so many spiders in space?

Question

In science fiction there are a lot of spiders or spider-like creatures depicted in space. In real life there have also been a lot of studies done on spiders in space. Has science fiction been influenced by the real life studies of spiders in space, or have the real life studies been influenced by the popularity of spiders in science fiction? Or are humans simply so fascinated with spiders that they have become common in science fiction and in real space studies coincidentally?

If science fiction was influenced by real life studies, then we should see more spiders in space in science fiction after real life studies commenced.

If real life studies were influenced by science fiction, then we should be able to find allusions to science fiction spiders in documentation of real life studies.

Answer 1

I would say that the real and fictional occurrence of spiders in space are mostly independant.

Spiders are very common in all kinds of fiction, going back to ancient legendary figures like Arachne and Anansi. I think your reference to a general fascination with spiders is spot on - note also that no other animal is so commonly the subject of phobia.

On the other hand, real world experiments on spiders in space seem to be focused on the question how microgravity affects web building:

In addition to looking at gravitational biology in spiders, the examination of a spider's solution for producing a web with minimal gravity could have practical applications. On Earth, spiders can use gravity (their body weight) and/or manipulation of their spinnerettes to extrude several different types of silk. Even when the chemical composition of the silk is unchanged, the rate and mechanism used to pull the silk determines its mechanical properties. Similarly, altering methods of producing manmade fibers can result in materials that are more elastic, stronger, etc. Understanding the way a spider builds its web in space may help engineers build web-like structures for space stations and other aerospace architecture.

There does, however, also seem to be a "cool factor" involved:

The project was also intended to foster interest in space exploration and scientific research for the Australian students.