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Disease May Derail Space Travel Sunday, May 23, 2010 - Janice Karin Home >> News >> Biology   
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Researchers at Nancy University in Lorraine, France have raised concerns that disease will make it impossible to support long-term space travel such as manned missions to Mars. Space travel both weakens the immune system and promotes more virulent growth of bacteria, a potentially deadly combination in a closed environment like a spaceship. Before such travel is viable, some form of protection against these raging microbial cultures must be devised.
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This accelerated rate of growth may be caused by fluid shear that creates an environment similar to that found in human intestines. Basically, the salmonella detects the force of surrounding fluids. The salmonella typically slips into the spaces between the villi in the intestines which protect it from the significant churn found in the center of the pathway. Researchers believe the low fluid shear of space is similar to the shear found within these pockets, a condition that sends the bacteria into overdrive as it prepares to enter the blood stream and cause infections. When combined with an observed decrease in the effectiveness of the human immune system in space, the virulence of bacteria growth could cause significant health issues for astronauts on long-term flights. Researchers are exploring the use of different growth medium to control the rate of bacteria virulence. In addition to information about disease in space, these experiments are providing additional information on how salmonella and similar bacteria work more generally which may improve treatment and prevention on Earth and well as in space. TFOT has previously reported on other potential hazards related to space and space travel including reports of a mysterious space disease in Peru after a meteor strike, the discovery of toxic chemicals on the surface of Mars, and predictions that an extinction-level comet or asteroid collision may occur in the not too distant future. Read more about the salmonella experiments on the space shuttle in this NASA press release and about fluid shear and how the virulence may be controlled in this . |
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Seriously, how long before we realize this is an engineering problem and not a space medicine problem? The answer is ship design with the ability to rotate in flight or extend habitat booms for work or sleep in .5 gee. No matter how large the engineering challenge this poses, it will cost less, offer more advantages and ultimately be more effective tan trying to vaccinate our way out of the effects of zero gee on the human body. |
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| Space travel would be a waste of money and time anyway? | |||
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