Space Radiation May Alter Astronauts' Neurons

sciencehabit writes: NASA hopes to send the first round-trip, manned spaceflight to Mars by the 2030s. If the mission succeeds, astronauts could spend several years potentially being bombarded with cosmic rays—high-energy particles launched across space by supernovae and other galactic explosions. Now, a study in mice suggests these particles could alter the shape of neurons, impairing astronauts' memories and other cognitive abilities. In the prefrontal cortex, a brain region associated with executive function, a range of high-level cognitive tasks such as reasoning, short-term memory, and problem-solving, neurons had 30% to 40% fewer branches, called dendrites, which receive electrical input from other cells.

Comments

Some of us are safe

[Jodka]

Problem: Space Radiation May Alter Astronauts' Neurons.

Solution: Tin foil hats.

Ren was right?

[Chas]

Okay! Say it with my (like an asthmatic chihuahua).

SPACE!!! MADNESS!!!

Re:We'll Know

[MightyYar]

The dissection is going to be... awkward.

Re:Easy solution

[quenda]

Apollo captivated a generation,

Not for long. TV ratings dropped fast after the first landing. Even blowing up Apollo 13's service module was not enough to save the program from early cancellation.