NASA is looking for volunteers to stay in bed for 70 days straight. It's to test the effects of weightlessness and lack of exercise on space travelers. The job will pay around $18,000 for your time. And you can keep up with many of your everyday activities -as long as you stay in bed. Dr Roni Cromwell, lead scientist on the project, tells us more.
The purpose of the study is to research the effects of microgravity on the human body. The study simulates the effects of long-duration spaceflight by having test subjects lie in beds for the 70 day period. The beds are tilted head-down at a six-degree angle. According to Dr Cromwell, this tilt which causes body fluids to shift to the upper part of the body, sets off cardiovascular events that are similar to what we see in a space flight.
“And by putting someone in bed for a long time, there is also atrophy of the muscle and atrophy of bone density,” she explains.
When astronauts spend weeks and months floating around in space – they don’t need to use more than a fingertip to propel themselves across the room, so their muscles go on vacation – the atrophy described by Dr. Cromwell.
The job includes extensive testing before and after the bed rest, and you need to be in good shape to be considered for the position (ha- position). Link -via Daily of the Day
(Image credit: Flickr user Der Wunderbare Mandarin)