Scientists Have Developed a Way to Make Human Skin More Protected from Space Radiation

Universe Today ^

[BenLurkin]

NASA says that astronauts can be exposed to doses of radiation ranging from 50 to 2,000 Milli-Sieverts (mSv). Researchers already know that melanin has potential to protect astronauts from radiation.

But there are different types of melanins. The one being tested on the ISS is actually a composite of fungal melanin and polymers. The lead researcher on that work is Radamés J.B. Cordero from Johns Hopkins.

But this new research is going in a slightly different direction, by looking at melanin enriched with selenium. Selenium has an interesting relationship with light, and is used as a pigment, in glassmaking, in x-ray detectors, and in solar cells. Clearly, something’s up with selenium when it comes to radiation.

Previous research has shown that selenium compounds can protect animals from x-rays. So the team behind the new work wondered if combining melanin with selenium would yield a new way of protecting astronauts.

Rather than spend who knows how long trying to find the compound somewhere in nature, they decided to make their own compounds in a lab. They synthesized a new biomaterial that they’re calling “selenomelanin.” They treated cells with the new material, alongside cells treated with synthetic pheomelanin and eumelanin. They also used cells with no protective melanin as a control group.

Only the cell treated with their synthesized selenomelanin showed any normal cell cycles.

The team also found out that unlike the samples sent to the ISS by a separate research team, which are expensive to produce, this team’s selenomelanin can be bio-synthesized. That means that live cells can produce it when fed the right nutrients. And the biosynthesized selenomelanin retains its protective properties.

The team of researchers envisions a topical material like sun-screen, that can be applied to skin or materials for protection.

[BenLurkin]

Ionizing radiation can travel either as particles or waves. It has enough energy to detach electrons from atoms and molecules, which is bad news for living beings. Radiation like radio waves, microwaves, and wifi is not ionizing, while ultraviolet, x-rays, and gamma rays are ionizing.
Image Credit: By Spazturtle – Own work

[Vince Ferrer]

That’s cool, I have seen some research on fthe radiation tolerance of mushrooms. It seems like a good area to research.

[martin_fierro]

[dp0622]

MLM

[Deaf Smith]

Ping to Fungi.

He might be on to something.

[Fungi]

They found a few fungi inside the Chernobyl reactor actually like radiation, at least they think so. Species include the following: Cladosporium sphaerospermum, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Wangiella dermatitis. They are able to withstand ionizing radiation.

[Rebelbase]

“That’s cool, I have seen some research on fthe radiation tolerance of mushrooms.”

Reminds me of an old Japanese SciFi flick.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVyRYjJoZfc

[Deaf Smith]

So the black mold growing in the walls acts like a faraday cage for radiation?

[Deaf Smith]

So the black mold growing in the walls acts like a faraday cage for radiation?

[Phillyred]

Good, time to find a new planet that Democrats can’t survive on.

[HartleyMBaldwin]

Selenomelanin, eh? Will this be considered a form of blackface?

[Fungi]

No.

[zeestephen]

[elbook]

.

WHITE LEAD based makeup has other rather nasty side-effects.

.

[fieldmarshaldj]

*ping*

[SunkenCiv]

"Just wear the ****ed mask!" -- the scientists.