A news report suggests that prolonged space travel might have unexpected consequences.
A scientist reckons that long-distance space travel will leave us short, fat and bald.
Astrobiologist Dr Lewis Dartness revealed at the Cheltenham Science Festival that living without gravity would cause space travellers' bones and muscles not to develop properly, leaving them stunted and weak.
Meanwhile, the lack of effort needed to move around in low gravity and a temperature-controlled environment would mean that "future spacemen and women are likely to become pretty chubby."
And it gets worse. "Without gravity, fluid would float up to pool in the skull, which would cause the head to look permanently swollen out of proportion", Dr Dartness added.
Warming to his subject, he continued: "Also, with no need for hair to insulate the head or eyelashes to flick dust from their eyes, future humans may become completely hairless."
There's more at the link.
I can't help but remember how the original Mercury astronauts were pursued by an ardent female fan club, out to sleep with as many of them as they could. Tom Wolfe remarked on this in his book dealing with the program, 'The Right Stuff'. I wonder if the same will apply to astronauts of the future, if they're going to return looking like this?
Peter
4 comments:
Heh, it looks like scientists are as capable of making up BS as the rest of us! We develop interstellar space travel, but can't figure out a way to maintain fitness?!
Also, a huge portion of our evolution took place in equatorial regions, rendering hair of relatively little use for insulation - especially since we've invented hats now. It'd take a pretty strong negative pressure to eliminate hair - climate control isn't going to exert that pressure.
I'm calling BS on this story.
You don't have to go into space to be short, fat, and bald.
If their bones are weakened, Peter, that first close encounter could be their last!
Antibubba
nevermind the effects of interstellar radiation...i've had physics profs tell me that despite the lead they promise will limit exposure, it still won't be enought to ward off the immediate damage and almost assured cancer later in life....gravity i've read can be partially fixed with a tether device of some sorts..i'd bet boredrom would be a bit of an issue too..unless we're talking cryo here
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