BLUF
Scientists have discovered that zero gravity can adversely affect the bones of even the healthiest astronauts.Summary
This article by Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, writing for Popular Science, makes the following points:
- A recent study in Scientific Reports found that spending just a few months in space changes astronauts’ bones.
- The loss of bone density is equivalent to what most humans would lose in a couple of decades on Earth.
- More concerning is that even after a year many astronauts have still not recovered their lost bone mass.
- An earlier study, published in 2020, simulated the impact of a three-year spaceflight to Mars, finding a 33 per cent risk of osteoporosis for long-distance travellers.
References
Recent Runway Posts related to this topic:
- 8 things you never knew about mining on Mars, the Moon... and even asteroids! | The Runway (airforce.gov.au)
- Keep looking up: Australia’s next steps in space surveillance | The Runway (airforce.gov.au)
References from the Web:
- JAN 2022 Astronauts are losing 3 million red blood cells every second in space—Popular Science
- JUL 2022 Astronaut study reveals effects of space travel on human bone density—ABC News
- JUL 2022 Astronauts suffer 'significant' bone loss during space missions - raising concerns for future trips to Mars—Sky News
Source Information:
- Article Source: Popular Science
- Media Check: Popular Science - Media Bias Fact Check (mediabiasfactcheck.com)
- RAAF RUNWAY: RATIONALE, GUIDELINES, LEARNING OUTCOMES, ETC |
