(Space Daily) In space, there's a much different result. There's no gravity to pull blood into the lower part of the body. Instead, blood goes to the chest and head, causing astronauts to have puffy faces and bulging blood vessels in their necks.
And appearance isn't the only ugly side effect. The lack of blood flowing to and from the brain can cause astronauts to feel dizzy and sometimes even faint when they return to Earth's gravity.
That's why a new experiment on board the International Space Station -- called Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Control on Return from ISS (CCISS) -- is examining how long-duration exposure to microgravity affects crew members' heart functions, blood pressure and blood vessels that supply the brain.
Unless a person is committing to a one way journey off world, then scientists are going to have to figure out ways to strengthen our fragile hearts while floating in orbit.
Micro gravity seems to have a way of "relaxing" our organs too much, and if not resolved we could find ourselves with a weakened heart, not to mention a few other things.
Human beings seem to be designed for Earth gravity, and may ultimately have to build orbiting space stations in order to live above the clouds.
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Micro gravity seems to have a way of "relaxing" our organs too much, and if not resolved we could find ourselves with a weakened heart, not to mention a few other things.
ReplyDeleteTwo things are likely
* Long-term staty Orbital stations will be wheel shaped and spun for gravity. This will make them more expensive to own and operate.
* Most people are going to opt to live in places with enough mass to make their own gravity.
The upshot is - I think - that space stations will be what oil platforms are today. Great places to live for a few weeks - months at most - but home will be a rock with a gravity field.