Not all the lab animals experienced cognitive impairment, however...
Posted on 05/01/2015 4:42:44 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
Miami (AFP) - Flying people to deep space -- like Mars or an asteroid -- is high on NASA's wish list, but research on mice suggested Friday that extended radiation exposure permanently harms the brain.
Central nervous system damage and cognitive impairments were observed in lab animals that were exposed to highly energetic charged particles -- similar to the galactic cosmic rays that astronauts would encounter during long space flights -- said researchers at the University of California, Irvine.
"This is not positive news for astronauts deployed on a two- to three-year round trip to Mars," said lead author Charles Limoli, professor of radiation oncology in UCI's School of Medicine.
"Performance decrements, memory deficits, and loss of awareness and focus during spaceflight may affect mission-critical activities, and exposure to these particles may have long-term adverse consequences to cognition throughout life."
Currently, the world's astronauts rotate in shifts that last about six months at the International Space Station.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
If it happens long enough they start voting Democrat.
Not all the lab animals experienced cognitive impairment, however...
Hmm. This sounds like one instance in which tinfoil hats really are appropriate. (Maybe they should be leadfoil, though.)
The irradiated stupid mice might not be able
to pilot the Astronauts to Mars but...
the mice would still be an VAST improvement over anyone
in the “US” Congress.
It takes no more than six months to get to Mars anyway. Here on Earth we’re protected by about 10 tons of atmosphere per square meter, but we still get secondary effects. Putting that much shielding on a spaceship might be impractical, but possible.
already on NASA’s drawing board is the idea of commandeering an asteroid and hollowing it out for use as a ship. Deep inside the rock structure, exposure to radiation of all types, save neutrinos, would be greatly reduced.
Of course we would send up guys without any shielding (like water) just to prove these science tyhpes correct. Wouldn’t we?
That’s why Mathew McConaughey was hallucinating in deep space with a wall of library books and his daughter on the other side of it. It’s like these clowns are telling us not to explore because of the big bad space radiation.
Gen. Charlie Duke was at my school reunion last weekend...still sharp as a tack.
LOL. Case Closed.
“extended radiation exposure permanently harms the brain.”
I know that not all radiation is the same, but doesn’t that say something about the safety of things like cell phones and Google Glass?
What, no pictures of the Fantastic Four?
There’s no conclusive evidence that cell phones produce dangerous radiation, but I for one have a cousin who died from a brain tumor, and worked as a telemarketer using a cell phone all day.
There are two types of radiation: EM and particle. Cell phones produce EM radiation, specifically radio waves. Radiation in space is particle radiation. This is also in two forms: solar and cosmic rays. Solar radiation is easy to stop but cosmic rays penetrate everything and can only be slowed down by enough sheer mass in their way.
Is there any indication of what happened to Brain Guy and Professor Bobo?
“Putting that much shielding on a spaceship might be impractical, but possible.”
Protective clothing for the the crew and their bunks would weigh much less. Since they will be weightless, it would reduce the inconvenience of wearing personal protective gear.
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