Space health shocker: Astronauts return mostly fine

Scientists have dumped a mountainous cache of research papers on the unsuspecting public in what amounts to the largest collective study of the effects of space travel on human health. For the most part, the studies – which range from examination of blood, immune system, cardiovascular system, neurons, dehydration, kidneys, …

[Mike 137]

So spaceflight is good for you

" ... during spaceflight, both during the one year mission, as well as a cohort of other astronauts, we saw telomere actually lengthened during spaceflight"

Very interesting. A crumb of evidence in support of those who think we (or at least our precursors) came here from somewhere out there?

[Pascal Monett]

Re: So spaceflight is good for you

No, no no. Spaceflight can be good for you. Let's not jump to easy conclusions, shall we ?

And yes, we might actually come from Mars, as has already been discussed as far as asteroid impact ejecta from Mars landing on Earth has been observed IIRC.

[Filippo]

Re: So spaceflight is good for you

I recall reading many years ago that the relationship between radiation and health is a bit more complex than usually assumed. Some level of ionizing radiation is basically everywhere, as it comes both from the sun and from certain types of relatively common rocks. As a result, organisms have evolved ways to deal with it, to a degree. There are some DNA repair mechanisms that can get stimulated by radiation; if the damage is not too bad, they might even leave the cell better off than it was before. Maybe that's what's going on here?

Source: my very-long-term memory, take with salt.

[DJO]

Re: So spaceflight is good for you

It is most likely that something is stimulating Telomerase production as that will lengthen the telomeres, the question is what is causing the increase in Telomerase?

It is produced by the body for many reasons including reaction to tumours and wounded cells trying to survive as long as possible as well as many less dramatic reasons, finding the cause here seem to be rather important if we are to draw any useful conclusions.

[Bartholomew]

Re: So spaceflight is good for you

> take with salt

I hope that is a low sodium, potassium based salt. Every human body is radioactive. And the primary natural source of that radiation is mostly from the near constant level of potassium maintained. Eat a banana, and your potassium level may spike for a short while (There is more potassium in the peel than the fruit we eat) but later on your body will automatically flush the excess away. Our bodies do need potassium to function, yet with a tiny fraction of potassium being a source of gamma rays, it is impressive how our bodies regulate the quantity maintained (110g to 137 g total potassium, of which 0.012% is K-40 so 0.013g to 0.016g distributed throughout the entire body and not concentrated in one area).

[herman]

Re: So spaceflight is good for you

Yup, but lets rather not all start drinking radon water again, OK?

[MachDiamond]

Re: So spaceflight is good for you

It sounds like the linear no-threshold hypothesis where laws get crafted based on any radiation being a bad thing. There are plenty of places in the world where baseline rad levels are much higher than others and yet there is still a thriving local population that's lived in the area for generations. I don't recall if the data was anecdotal, but I seem to recall that the incidence of some cancers were reduced in those populations. The Earth is radioactive pretty much everywhere you go. Just don't whip out your Geiger counter on an airplane as you'll frighten the masses with the clicking and beeping.

[Graham Dawson]

Re: So spaceflight is good for you

Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man who even now fight to survive, somewhere beyond the heavens.

[ravenviz]

Re: So spaceflight is good for you

So then, how to live longer:

1. Quit smoking, take physical exercise, eat properly

2. Go to space

I hope the NHS can afford option 2!

[Eclectic Man]

Earth's Magnetic Field

The vast majority of astronauts, cosmonauts and taikonauts have only experienced spaceflight in Earth orbit, protected from radiation by the Earth's magnetic field. The only people to go outside this protection are the astronauts who visited the Moon. According to an article in today's 'I' newspaper, they suffered significant kidney damage, even though they were only outside the magnetic field for 6 to 12 days.

"Professor Stephen Walsh, senior author of the study from the London Tubular Centre, UCL Department of Renal Medicine, said: “Our study highlights the fact that if you’re planning a space mission, kidneys really matter.

“You can’t protect them from galactic radiation using shielding, but as we learn more about renal biology it may be possible to develop technological or pharmaceutical measures to facilitate extended space travel.”

The research was detailed in a paper published in the journal Nature Communications."

https://www.independent.co.uk/space/mars-mission-space-radiation-kidneys-b2561132.html

[herman]

Re: Earth's Magnetic Field

So, one would need to put a rather big magnet in the nose of the ship?

[MachDiamond]

Talk to the astronauts

Astronauts that have had extended stays in space recover from most issues they develop, but I'd question whether the metrics return to normal baseline as humans haven't evolved to handle reduced G. Somewhere I have talks from several astronauts that had to spend a considerable amount of time learning to walk again after an extended stay in space. I'm not sure if I asked Shannon Lucid about that when I had a chance to interview her many years ago. I don't think Sally Ride or Wendy Lawrence were out long enough, two other women astronauts I had interviewed for a series I was writing on women in space/space science. I had the chance to listen again recently to an interview I did with Charles Walker, but we mainly chatted about his protein electrophoresis experiment and how he went from a Earth bound scientist to flying on the Shuttle.

I'm interested in seeing people back on the moon hopefully for some extended stays to see how the body adapts to fractional G. Is it a linear thing, or will we find that even a modest amount of gravity tugs on us enough to remain healthy? That will be crucial if there's any reality to going to Mars. If there's a way to use nuclear propulsion to push a rocket at 1/6 G, it would speed up the transit and maybe that would be sufficient to have a crew arrive at the red planet ready to get to work. 9 months in 0G isn't going to have healthy people arriving at Mars and able to handle heavy G loads getting down to the surface or even getting into orbit.