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Long-Term Effects of Weightlessness

Posted by Hemos on from the elongated-spines dept.

MartinBartinFargo writes "The Age has an article detailing the long-term effects of weightlessness on the human body. Stage 1 of the European Space Agency study involved 14 male volunteers spending 3 months carrying out all activities whilst lying on their backs, Stage 2 is currently underway. "

9 of 192 comments (clear)

  1. What will stage 1 prove? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Can't they just look at hospital records of people who are forced to stay on their backs for 6 months or more? The muscles atrophy. I don't see how this equates to weightlessness, unless they compare weighted atrophy against weightless atrophy.

    1. Re:What will stage 1 prove? by dbc001 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Looking at past records would probably not be a reliable source of information. In this case they are doing research that will affect the health of people who will be living under unusual conditions for two years, so it's important that the experiment is done under carefully controlled conditions. Also, you would have a hard time gathering data from looking at old hospital records because all of your subjects would have some kind of health problem, and that would probably screw up your results.

      dbc

  2. Lame article by Zelet · · Score: 2, Insightful

    This article never really said anything. What worked? What didn't? Was there any data collected or did they do this for fun? Does anybody have a link to a scientific article that actually explains what they found out?

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    ...And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me." - Martin Niemoeller (1892-1984)
  3. Long Live the Unbreakable Soviet Union by RAMMS+EIN · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I would suspect that the Russians know a thing or two about this, as they tend to keep their kosmonauts in space much longer than anyone else dares to. However, I can imagine a couple of reasons why they wouldn't be inclined to share their information; long-term weightlessness seems not to be very healthy, and the fact that they have exposed their people to those may not be good for their image.

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    Due to circumstances beyond your control, you are master of your fate
    and captain of your soul.

    --
    Please correct me if I got my facts wrong.
  4. This doesn't seem like a well designed study by SuperCal · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I know that having the subjects lie on their backs is the best simulation of weightlessness over time, but it seems like a poor substitute. Their bodies are being stressed by gravity that would not be present in space. That difference could lead to either more of less 'health' over the long term. In low muscle exertion environments (I made that term up:), a little stress may increase bone degeneration or may be a catalyst for bone growth. I think the only way to get true results may be study people on the space station, which I believe is being done...

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    Business News and Resources: www.usasource.net
  5. Choosen Candidates. by lionchild · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Take note of how the article points out these candidates were put through rigorous tests before being selected. They wanted ones that had some specific characteristics for mental elastisty. Those are some pretty rough demands.

    Here, after only 3 months, the one individual interviewed (which we don't know which group he was in,) was in rough shape when it came time to get back on his feet. It sounds like we've got along way to go, to get someone whose capable of remaining in microgravity for 2 years, in order to get to Mars. That, or we're going to have to design a ship that employs some form of gravity simulator.

    It's good to see progress, but we're still a long way from being able to send men to Mars.

    --
    Awk! Pieces of eight. Pieces of eight. Pieces of seven... ERROR: General Protection Fault. [Paroty Error.]
  6. Re:The money by Sapien__ · · Score: 3, Insightful
    I suspect that since the article was in an Australian newspaper, the amount is in Australian dollars.

    Currently, $20000 AU is approximately $11500 AU

  7. Why are they wasting time? by Lumpy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The Russians have the largest, most accurate database on such information.. The tests were done with real subjects in real microgravity, not some lame attempt with the slight possibility of simulating something.

    Come on, the Mir program is still full of wonderful data.. and couple that with the old data from Skylab and you have a pretty darn good basis for sending up 3 people for a 5 month stay. (with a control group of 3 here on the ground... hell let them lie around for 5 months..)

    it amazes me at how stupidity and quackery get's passed off as science and research nowdays..

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    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  8. Re:sounds like the focus should shift by verloren · · Score: 2, Insightful

    What the researchers seem to have missed is that the "long-term hospital patients confined to their beds" are, erm, already doing this. This is like paying people to live in a warm climate to see how they cope with it - just go to Texas!

    Incidentally, I was confined to bed for a year, and what it got me was fat (I weighed the same at 7 years old as I did at 18!) better read (nothing else to do) and unable to walk properly for several weeks afterwards. Can I have my $20,000 please?