[박건형의 닥터 사이언스] Will Musk’s Mars Rover Want a Kidney Dialysis Machine?

On September 15, 2021, the SpaceX crewed spacecraft ‘Crew Dragon’ launched on the Kennedy Area Heart in Florida, USA. Jared Isaacman, the founding father of the cost group Shift4 Funds and the captain of the spaceship, was the launch value, estimated at $200 million (about 270 billion gained). Nurse Hayley Arsenault, faculty science instructor Sian Proctor, and Iraq Warfare veteran Chris Sembrowski had been on board with Isaacman. The mission, named Inspiration 4, was the primary area flight in human historical past to consist fully of civilian passengers.

A analysis staff at Cornell College within the US printed blood, pores and skin, urine, and saliva evaluation knowledge and cognitive potential take a look at outcomes of Inspiration 4 passengers earlier than and after area flight within the worldwide educational journal Nature on the eleventh (native time). What attracted probably the most consideration was that each one 4 passengers had longer telomeres on the ends of their chromosomes. Scientists consider that telomeres steadily shorten and put on out as cells copy and go on genes, inflicting organ harm and illness. In reality, most anti-aging analysis focuses on sustaining or growing telomere size. The three days the Inspiration 4 passengers spent in area turned again the previous clock and made them youthful. Conversely, cognitive potential take a look at scores had been considerably decrease in area than on the bottom, and visible monitoring and reminiscence issues additionally occurred. Nonetheless, after returning to Earth, the passengers’ bodily and psychological situations, together with telomere size, returned to regular. Particularly, feminine vacationers recovered quicker than males in all elements.

The Nationwide Aeronautics and Area Administration (NASA) put the outcomes of the Inspiration 4 analysis right into a public archive that may be seen by anybody on this planet. To reply the query, “Can folks stay healthily in area?”, all of us must work collectively. The ‘Twin Examine’ was additionally on this archive, which is taken into account to be probably the most well-known area experiment. This can be a research evaluating NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, who lived on the Worldwide Area Station (ISS) for 340 days from 2015 to 2016, and the identical twin Mark, who stayed on Earth . Scientists noticed two folks with the identical genes as the perfect analysis topics. Arizona State Senator Mark was additionally a NASA astronaut who flew aboard the area shuttle Endeavour.

Within the near-zero gravity of the ISS, Scott’s muscle and bone mass quickly decreased, and to stop this, he exercised intensely for two.5 hours a day. Regardless of this, Scott’s physique mass decreased by about 7%. As my total physique obtained radiation equal to 10 chest X-rays a day, many broken genes had been found, and my immune system modified as properly. Though he spent greater than 100 occasions extra time in area, Scott’s restoration course of was not a lot completely different from that of the passengers of Inspiration 4. Most individuals’s bodily situation returned to a state much like that earlier than they left for a spot inside 6 months to 2 years. The universe didn’t have a deadly impact on people. Nonetheless, the universe the place humanity will go sooner or later is completely different. Most area journey thus far, together with the dual probes and Inspiration 4, has been carried out in low Earth orbit and the ISS. Solely 24 astronauts who participated within the Apollo missions between 1969 and 1972 escaped the Earth’s magnetic area, which protects people from cosmic radiation, and none of them spent greater than 12 days outdoors the Earth’s magnetic area .

A analysis staff from College School London introduced within the newest challenge of Nature Communications, “On account of 2 years and 6 months of publicity to cosmic radiation in mice, their tubules had been broken and kidney operate was decreased to lasting.” The time required to journey to Mars with the shortest distance and full the mission is 2 years and 6 months. The analysis staff mentioned, “If we do not discover a solution to defend astronauts from cosmic radiation, they could must endure kidney dialysis once they return to Earth. .” We’ve got to consider how harmful it will be for humanity to go away the protecting defend of the Earth, the place it has lived for hundreds of thousands of years, and discover a new house. Area The subsequent step is manned flight. Even if you wish to be a fantastic explorer and a recorded pioneer in historical past, would anybody danger their kidneys to get on a spaceship? There are nonetheless many duties that require SpaceX founder Elon Musk and clear up science to open an period during which man can go to Mars.