Image missing.
Butterfly Emerges From Chrysalis in Zero Gravity

Joe Wilkins

created: Feb. 7, 2026, 2 p.m. | updated: Feb. 12, 2026, 2:39 a.m.

Like their neighbors on the International Space Station, the taikonauts orbiting the planet in China’s Tiangong space station brought some mementos from home. In past months, the crew aboard the Tiangong have treated themselves to succulent BBQ wings, fresh veggies, and even moon cakes. Their latest consignment isn’t for eating, however: it’s a butterfly, which hatched from a chrysalis in zero gravity. According to the English-language publication People’s Daily, the chrysalis was brought aboard via a Kuaizhou 11Y8 cargo spacecraft back in December. “The transformation process was entirely unmanned, unlike previous experiments (of other countries) aboard the International Space Station,” Xie said.

4 days, 13 hours ago: Futurism