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Study: Astronauts Who Reach Deep Space 'Far More Likely To Die From Heart Disease' (independent.co.uk)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Independent: Astronauts who venture into deep space appear to be much more likely to die from heart disease, according to a new study. In another sign that leaving planet Earth is fraught with danger and a potential blow to hopes of establishing a colony on Mars, researchers discovered deep space radiation appears to damage the body's cardiovascular system. They reported that three out of the seven dead Apollo astronauts died as a result of a cardiovascular disease, such as a heart attack or stroke. Although the numbers are small, that rate of 43 percent is four to five times higher than found among astronauts who flew in low Earth orbit or who did not actually go into space, according to a paper in the journal Scientific Reports. In an attempt to test whether the higher numbers of cardiovascular deaths were simply a statistical blip or a genuine sign of the effect of traveling into deep space, the scientists exposed mice to the same type of radiation that the astronauts would have experienced. After six months, which is the equivalent of 20 human years, the mice showed damage to arteries that is known to lead to the development of cardiovascular disease in humans.
FTFA:
We do however know a lot about the effects of terrestrial radiation on human heath... a long-term side effect of radiation therapy to the chest area can be a increased risk of heart disease... apparently. :-/
"I bless every day that I continue to live, for every day is pure profit."
I agree that the sample size of 7 is rot, the 95% confidence interval around a binomial with 3/7 is 10%-82%, in other words: "we don't have a clue". /. summary actually link to the source, so here it is:
However, neither TFA nor the
Michael D. Delp, Jacqueline M. Charvat, Charles L. Limoli, Ruth K. Globus & Payal Ghosh, Apollo Lunar Astronauts Show Higher Cardiovascular Disease Mortality: Possible Deep Space Radiation Effects on the Vascular Endothelium, Nature Scientific Reports (open ac
Interestingly, they do claim statistical significance on the 7 astronaut "study", but I don't have time atm to have a better look...
Did they take into account the average sex life of your "I've landed on the moon" astronaut?
You have to die of something. Neil Armstrong died aged 82, Buzz Aldrin is 86, and Michael Collins is 85. So all the three Apollo astronauts lived longer than the average male life expectancy for the USA, which wikipedia tells me is 76.9 years. In fact they all managed better than the average male life expectancy of the top country in the world; Japan which has one of 80.5 years.
So while you might be at some elevated risk of dying from heart disease if you go into deep space, and the sample size is way to small to actually draw that conclusion.
Looking at Apollo 8 through 11 so that's 12 astronauts into deep space they have *ALL* lived into their eighties with only one dying (Neil Armstrong), who also lived into his eighties.
I can't be bothered to click through on the rest of the Apollo missions, but the only Apollo astronaut I am aware of not reaching their eighties is Ronald Evans from Apollo 17. Basically the Apollo astronauts looks to be living *VERY* full lives if you ask me.
Just pointing out that life expectancy at age 40, which is when these astronauts flew, is 79.9 years.
The Apollo 1 crew didn't either, sorry to be a dick about your legitimate point.
Aside from that, Wikipedia is your friend! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Apollo_astronauts
Pete Conrad, Apollo 12, died age 69.
Alan Shepherd, Apollo 12, died age 74.
James Irwin, Apollo 15, died age 61.
Jack Swigert, Apollo 13, died age 51.
Stu Roosa, Apollo 14 CMP, died age 61
Ron Evans, Apollo 17 CMP, died age 56
Evans, the youngest death, died of a heart attack but I didn't check the others.
Neil Armstrong and Ed Mitchell died in their 80s.
Another 19 Apollo astronauts are still alive. All of them are in their 80s with the oldest being Jim Lovell at 88.
There were other Apollo selected astronauts if I'm not mistaken and I could have trivial facts about this wrong.