{"id":105,"date":"2020-02-01T10:22:49","date_gmt":"2020-02-01T14:22:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/isabel-snee\/?page_id=105"},"modified":"2020-02-18T13:55:45","modified_gmt":"2020-02-18T17:55:45","slug":"life-in-outer-space","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.nd.edu\/isabel-snee\/life-in-outer-space\/","title":{"rendered":"The Final Frontier"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary:<\/strong> \u00a0This section describes the phenomena astronauts experience in space and how the body attempts to cope with these alien environmental conditions. \u00a0In constant free fall, the body contrives interesting methods to acclimate to weightlessness and life without gravity, but to the detriment of the individual. \u00a0After a space exploration, the body fails to readjust to the effect of gravity, incapacitating astronauts during reentry,<\/p>\n

Eyeballs in and Eyeballs Out<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"
\nHumans mostly detect changes in acceleration.\u00a0Positive g-force operates in the same direction as Earth\u2019s gravity and causes the internal organs and blood to drop toward an individual\u2019s feet.\u00a0 Negative g -force forces internal organs and blood towards the head, known as \u201ceyeballs out.\u201d\u00a0 At higher magnitudes, this force may cause some blood vessels in the head to burst.\u00a0With increased g-force, the body feels heavier, skin sags, and standing seems impossible.\u00a0 At +3-g, color vision fades out, and soon vision loss occurs.\u00a0 At 12-g and higher, humans loss consciousness since the blood travels too far down from the heart.\u00a0 Also, as the diaphragm sags and lung gas exchange diminishes, breathing becomes virtually ineffective.\u00a0 Shorter people tolerate higher g-force since the distance from their heart to feet is considerably shorter.<\/p>\n

Weightlessness<\/strong><\/p>\n

While gravity concentrates blood and tissues on the legs and lower body, the opposite occurs space.\u00a0 Astronauts\u2019 faces swell, neck and facial veins stand out, leg volume decreases, and the eyes feel bulging.\u00a0 As the nose becomes blocked, the ability to smell and taste diminishes. \u00a0The body acclimates and readjusts via reduced blood and body fluid volume.\u00a0 Without gravity, astronauts grow taller, produce less red blood cells, and destroy blood cells in blood marrow.<\/p>\n

Sleep<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sleeplessness results from a disruption of the normal circadian rhythm regulated by earth\u2019s day cycle. \u00a0Due to constant free fall, astronauts also feel less secure in bed.\u00a0Finally, there is no continuous air circulation, so hot carbon dioxide is not removed from the vicinity.\u00a0Infection also occurs more easily since bacteria remain in airborne.<\/p>\n

Space Sickness<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Space sickness causes dizziness, headaches, nausea, loss of appetite, lack of motivation, drowsiness and irritability.\u00a0 Precipitated by tilting one\u2019s head, space sickness cannot be remedied easily since there is no fixed point of reference.\u00a0 Moreover, the body receives conflicting position signals from balance organs in the ears, muscle and joint receptors, and visual cues.<\/p>\n

Paying the Price<\/strong><\/p>\n

Long-term effects from space flight include bone and muscle deterioration.\u00a0 Without Earth\u2019s gravitational pull, bones thin as calcium leaches out (this can also cause kidney stones), putting astronauts at risk for osteoporosis.\u00a0Muscles shrink, becoming susceptible to exercise damage.\u00a0 The heart muscles also shrink, reducing its size.<\/p>\n

Cosmic Radiation<\/strong><\/p>\n

Astronauts experience exposure to galactic, solar, and trapped belt radiation.\u00a0 While not particularly potent, long-term exposure damages DNA and increases the risk of cancer, infertility, or genetic defects in one\u2019s children.\u00a0 Solar flare radiation kills cells immediately and damages the nervous system, white blood cells, and gut cells.<\/p>\n

Venturing into the Void<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Like a personal spacecraft, spacesuits provide protection, pressure maintenance, an atmosphere, thermal stability, and in emergency situations, a food, water, and waste disposal. Lightweight and flexible, they minimize risk of the \u201cbends,\u201d and operate under extreme temperatures.\u00a0 However, body heat from exercise cannot escape, so overheating without adjustments becomes problematic.<\/p>\n

Coming Down to Earth<\/strong><\/p>\n

Orthostatic intolerance describes how weightlessness has changed the cardiovascular system substantially.\u00a0 To compensate, the body reduces fluid volume and promotes redistribution.\u00a0Since this persists even after reentry, blood supply to the head reduces as one stands, causing these fainting spells. \u00a0Blood volume decreases and leg blood vessels do not constrict as much as normal, pooling blood in the legs.<\/p>\n

Muscle weakness also contributes initially but soon goes back to normal, while bone loss persists for much longer.\u00a0 Coming down, astronauts believe the world, is contently moving, which suggests that orientation sensors need a period of readjustment.<\/p>\n

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Summary: \u00a0This section describes the phenomena astronauts experience in space and how the body attempts to cope with these alien environmental conditions. \u00a0In constant free fall, the body contrives interesting methods to acclimate to weightlessness and life without gravity, but to the detriment of the individual. \u00a0After a space exploration, the body fails to readjust … <\/p>\n

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