We learned decades ago that people can survive in outer space as long as they have a controlled environment that supplies proper oxygen and heat. But that doesn't mean that living in space is altogether safe and healthy. Astronauts who've spent months or even over a year in space can tell you that the human body is designed for the specific gravitational pull of earth. Take that away, and our bodies start to act weird.
For one thing, fluids are not pulled away from our brains or our sinuses in space as they are on earth. Astronauts feel as if their noses are stuffed while living in microgravity. The extra fluid retained in the head also changes the shape of one's eyeballs. Muscles waste away because they don't work as hard as on earth. Skin becomes more sensitive when it is not weighed down by the fabric of our clothing. While most of the effects are reversible, it's not pleasant. Movies make spacecraft in circles that rotate to create gravity because it's easier on the film budget, but such gravity simulations may make living in space healthier for future astronauts. Read about the physical effects of space travel at the Guardian. -via Damn Interesting
(Image credit: NASA)
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