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ISS astronauts return with gray hair — here’s what’s behind the shocking color shift
NY Post ^ | March 20, 2025, | Brooke Kato

Posted on 03/20/2025 4:46:34 PM PDT by BenLurkin

While there are no scientific studies that link spaceflight to graying hair, NASA has previously suggested that spending time in space can cause “significant physiological changes.”

“Imagine if all of your physiological changes were hyper-accelerated so that you passed through life cycles in weeks as opposed to decades,” NASA wrote online when the agency announced it would be launching a “space-age” research program to study space’s effects on the human body.

“You’d be able to grow a beard overnight or your hair might begin graying in a matter of days or maybe menopause would come knocking by next weekend.”

NASA continued: “This may seem like a far stretch from reality, but spaceflight causes significant physiological changes including an accelerated loss of muscle and bone density, and immune system dysfunction that parallel the effects of natural aging here on Earth.”

In fact, a 2016 study “found that spaceflight alters human hair follicle gene expression,” reporting that, in some astronauts, the genes responsible for regulating hair growth were “upregulated,” meaning the genes could inhibit “cell proliferation” within the hair follicles.

While men appeared to disproportionately experience the phenomenon compared to women, the researchers suggested that, based on their findings, spaceflight could potentially result in hair loss.

Some observers at home have a simpler explanation for WIlliams’ silver tresses: a lack of hair dye aboard the ISS.

“A few have asked me why Sunita Williams has grey hair and looks ‘tired’ coming back home from space,” Emily Carney, a former US Navy nuclear technician and space historian, wrote on Threads.

“This is because in space there’s no hair dye or makeup mirror at your disposal.”

(Excerpt) Read more at duckduckgo.com ...


TOPICS: Travel
KEYWORDS: changes; grayhair; issastronauts; physiological; spacetravel
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1 posted on 03/20/2025 4:46:34 PM PDT by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin

I’m guessing stress wondering if you ever get home...


2 posted on 03/20/2025 4:48:51 PM PDT by Steven Tyler
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To: BenLurkin

A “Shocking Hair Color Shift”?
Only their Hairdresser knows for sure.


3 posted on 03/20/2025 4:49:26 PM PDT by lee martell
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To: BenLurkin

“star wars fish guy”
???


4 posted on 03/20/2025 4:51:31 PM PDT by Repeal The 17th (Get out of the matrix and get a real life.)
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To: BenLurkin

Something to do with relativity - as they move faster, they age faster.


5 posted on 03/20/2025 4:51:46 PM PDT by BobL (The people who hate Trump demand that you hate Russia)
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To: BenLurkin
No Grecian Formula or Lady Clairol in space.

6 posted on 03/20/2025 4:52:24 PM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie ( O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is gracious, and His mercy endureth forever. — Psalm 106)
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To: BenLurkin

https://www.google.com/search?q=images+star+trek+aging+speeded+up&sca_esv=c40def4ba69778d6&source=hp&ei=06rcZ6q8N9DE0PEPt5nsuQM&iflsig=ACkRmUkAAAAAZ9y44


7 posted on 03/20/2025 4:55:31 PM PDT by frank ballenger (There's a battle outside and it's raging. It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls. )
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To: BenLurkin

She went from an Arby’s Junior to a Arby’s Super Deluxe king


8 posted on 03/20/2025 4:55:48 PM PDT by al baby (I know sarcasm )
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To: Governor Dinwiddie

Unlike Tang and the Canadian Arm device there was no commercial tie in. (Just kidding).


9 posted on 03/20/2025 4:57:02 PM PDT by frank ballenger (There's a battle outside and it's raging. It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls. )
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To: BenLurkin
If you were ever wondering why astronut and communist congressman Mark Kelly looks like a butt plug with eyes, now you know.


10 posted on 03/20/2025 4:59:02 PM PDT by wildcard_redneck ( )
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To: frank ballenger
LOL. I guess they missed an opportunity!

11 posted on 03/20/2025 4:59:43 PM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie ( O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is gracious, and His mercy endureth forever. — Psalm 106)
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To: Repeal The 17th

That’s impressive.


12 posted on 03/20/2025 5:00:13 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
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To: wildcard_redneck

He looks like an alien.


13 posted on 03/20/2025 5:02:43 PM PDT by rfp1234 (E Porcibus Unum)
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To: BenLurkin

Or was the hair gray before, but they weren’t able to dye their hair?


14 posted on 03/20/2025 5:04:27 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: dfwgator

https://www.lerctr.org/~transit/healy/Uh_Yeah.mp3


15 posted on 03/20/2025 5:05:27 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
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To: wildcard_redneck

I don’t know much about butt plugs but I’ve always thought Mark “AR-15” Kelly looks like a radioactive mutant of some kind.


16 posted on 03/20/2025 5:07:12 PM PDT by OKSooner (Oh, the mad fools!)
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To: BenLurkin

I think she dyed her hair.


17 posted on 03/20/2025 5:11:23 PM PDT by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: BenLurkin

18 posted on 03/20/2025 5:12:50 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Democrats are the Party of anger, hate and violence.)
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To: BenLurkin

What’s with the irrelevant links?


19 posted on 03/20/2025 5:18:06 PM PDT by enumerated (81 million votes my ass)
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To: BenLurkin
"here’s what’s behind the shocking color shift "

They didn't think to bring hair dye.

20 posted on 03/20/2025 5:23:39 PM PDT by yesthatjallen
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