The effect of weightlessness on our body has long been known. Staying in orbit too long affects vision, weakens muscles, accelerates aging, and makes bones weaker due to calcium loss. The latter, loss of bone density, has the same effect as osteoporosis, and a new study shows that being in zero gravity for too long causes permanent bone damage.

Bone damage is a challenge for space exploration

With the ambitious plans of the world’s leading space agencies (NASA, ESA, CNSA and Roscomos) to explore Mars and the Moon with crews living in a colony after long voyages, it is necessary to understand the impact of weightlessness conditions on the human body. After all, since people existed, since the time of their most ancient ancestors, our bodies have adapted to live in an environment with a gravity of about 9.8 m / s (rounded up to 10 m / s in school physics lessons) and without cosmic radiation. .

Researchers Lee Gable and Stephen Boyd of the University of Calgary, Canada, published a study in Scientific reports showing in more detail the effect of weightlessness on the astronaut’s bones. At the beginning of space exploration, mankind spent not days, weeks and months in space, but only a few hours. Geibel and Boyd’s study shows that long periods in orbit cause irreversible damage to astronauts’ bone density. According to research, a few months in space causes bone aging equivalent to 10 years.

Discovery also presents a solution

Of the 17 astronauts examined, who spent 6 to 12 months in orbit, only one recovered bone density. Others have not been able to restore bone density related to supporting our weight, such as in the legs, but they have regained density in the arms. Research indicates that one measure to mitigate weakening bones is to get more leg exercise while in space (never skip leg day!). But it will take years of research to fully understand this problem.

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Via: ExtremeTech