What if we could breathe in space

The muscular atrophy seen in astronauts closely mirrors that of bedridden patients, and upon return to Earth, some astronauts experience difficulty simply maintaining an upright posture. Diminished burden in space on load-bearing bones, such as the femur, tibia, pelvic girdle, and spine, also causes demineralization of the skeleton and decreased bone density, or osteopenia.

Calcium and other bone-incorporated minerals are excreted through urine at elevated levels, thus the microgravity environment puts individuals at risk not only for bone fracture, but for kidney stones as well [8]. The majority of astronauts experience some level of space motion sickness or disorientation for the first few days in space, and these symptoms generally subside as the body acclimates [5]; however, some astronauts still feel wobbly months after returning to Earth [9].

Furthermore, normal sleep cycles appear to be affected, as astronauts consistently sleep less and experience a more shallow and disturbed sleep in space than on Earth [10]. This may be due to a combination of microgravity or an altered light-dark cycle in space. Many astronauts complain of bright flashes that streak across their vision while trying to sleep, attributed to high-energy cosmic radiation [11]. Damaging radiation of this type can cause radiation sickness, mutate DNA, damage brain cells, and contribute to cancer [12].

The prospect of interplanetary missions compounds known health concerns regarding space travel. With our current technology, a manned mission to Mars would take more than two years, and by conservative estimates, simply getting to Mars might take 6 to 8 months. Figure 2. Approximate radiation dose in several scenarios on Earth and in space. The effects of long-term spaceflight may be very nuanced, and this calls for new disciplines that can address the issue of adapting humans to conditions that we were not intended to endure.

Frequent exercise, proper nutrition, and pharmacological therapy are three strategies used to combat the deconditioning process, yet some reduction in fitness is inevitable. One of the fundamental challenges facing scientists who design future space missions is to develop new technologies that can accommodate the physiological limitations of humans traveling in space for indefinite periods of time.

Much emphasis on research today is to develop technologies to get to Mars faster, generate artificial gravity, and reduce radiation exposure. Acclimation during space flight: effects on human physiology. CMAJ 11 : Optic disc edema, globe flattening, choroidal folds, and hyperopic shifts observed in astronauts after long-duration space flight. Ophthalmology 10 : Renal stone formation among astronauts. New York Times, February 2, Adv Space Res 33 8 : Implications of the space radiation environment for human exploration in deep space.

Radiat Prot Dosimetry : Report 1: Cross-sectional study of the relationship of exposure to space radiation and risk of lens opacity. Radiat Res 1 : Measurements of energetic particle radiation in transit to Mars on the Mars Science Laboratory.

Science : New York Times. March 30, Kerr RA PLoS One 7 12 : e I wonder if, once we have individuals staying in space for more than days at a time if we will see an subsequent increase in radiation levels. I am almost certain that manned space missions will continue to grow as we advance technologically and outward into space.

I am excited, but still wary of the potential consequences. Nice article! I never estimate that can be happen…. As a physician I can assess that this article is complete nonsense: 1 Double speaking about no space issues no sky-vacuum issues vs.

Can you please elaborate your answer? However, your phrasing only makes you look like a triggered troll who knows absolutely nothing. I strongly agree with you.

I would love to understand more in depth understanding of what I just read from Mr. I hope none of this sounds really dumb to you guys…. The article said what we see in movies is not entirely accurate but there are still dangers. That is not double speak. Rephrasing something to make it sound stupider is lazy, and does nothing for clarity.

I agree this is not a solid argument but it seems decent as a good starting point for a hypothesis. Please be more clear. Are you saying that the idea that space is close to a vacuum is a fundamental religious belief? Which religion? Please elaborate as this is an interesting claim. Uhm, no. This article is in kine with both hypothesized effects AND what hapoened to the Russian. Do your research. YOUR criticism shows no scientific methodology or rationalis pro doctorum equatii.

Either way, your body will remain that way for a long time. Gut bacteria will start to eat you from the inside out, but not for long, so you will decompose very slowly. You could be floating in space, unchanged, for millions of years. Who knows, maybe an advanced alien race will discover you! World globe An icon of the world globe, indicating different international options. Get the Insider App. Click here to learn more. A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation.

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