You may have wanted to become an astronaut when you were a little boy. Many of us were in the same boat. But such a job is a lot more difficult than we might have believed.
You must be extra careful with your health if you’re an astronaut. US scientists compared MRI scans of the brains of 15 astronauts. Those scans were taken before and after going to the International Space Station (ISS). According to ScienceAlert.com, the researchers concluded that the time spent in outer space heavily influenced the plumbing of the brain.
Juan Piantino, who’s a neurologist from the Oregon Health & Science University and also the senior author of the new study, explained:
These findings have important implications as we continue space exploration,
It also forces you to think about some basic fundamental questions of science and how life evolved here on Earth.
What happens is that a space flight that lasts long can alter spaces filled with fluids from the brain’s veins and arteries.
The same scientist said, as the same source quotes:
Experienced astronauts may have reached some kind of homeostasis.
Frontiers in Physiology brings the definition for homeostasis:
Homeostasis, as currently defined, is a self-regulating process by which biological systems maintain stability while adjusting to changing external conditions.
The new findings are indeed useful considering that in the not-so-far future, space travel could become something as banal as driving a car on Earth. Until now, it’s a bit surprising that humans haven’t gone farther away in space than landing on the Moon. There are so many interesting places to explore in the Solar System! While our planet only has one natural satellite, Saturn is the champion of the Solar System with 82 discovered moons.
The new study was published in Scientific Reports.
