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Deep-Space Radiation Could Harm Astronauts' Hearts
· Confirmed
In Short: Scientists warn that exposure to deep-space radiation could cause lasting damage to the human heart, raising new concerns about the health risks of sending people to Mars.
Scientists are warning that exposure to deep-space radiation could cause lasting damage to the human heart, raising new concerns about the health risks of sending people to Mars. The findings suggest that deep-space radiation may cause progressive damage to the heart, weaken immune defenses, and trigger genetic changes associated with serious cardiovascular problems.
At 235 days after radiation exposure, researchers identified persistent mutations in several genes associated with clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP). Testing prolonged radiation exposure on humans would be impractical and unethical, so the team used rats to investigate the potential risks.
Traveling beyond Earth’s protective environment exposes astronauts to two major hazards: cosmic radiation and microgravity. Although scientists know both can affect human health, the long-term consequences remain unclear.
After exposing rats to radiation, the researchers noted that the heart scarring wasn’t visible right away. However, 270 days after the radiation exposure, their scar tissue size had doubled, squeezing the blood vessels to a point where a heart attack became much more likely.
The NASA Space Radiation Laboratory at Brookhaven National Laboratory is capable of simulating the kind of radiation environment that is constantly bombarding the solar system outside the protective shell of Earth’s atmosphere.
With a dose of 1.5 Gray, the rats began to develop perivascular fibrosis, a type of scar tissue that wrapped around the coronary vessels that feed blood to the heart. The monitoring period of about a year was equivalent to around 25 years of human life.
The researchers found that radiation exposure had lasting consequences for the animals’ immune systems, raising new questions about how to prepare for human exploration of Mars.
When astronauts first travel to Mars, they will have to contend with two problems that our planet itself protects us from on its surface - radiation and weightlessness.
According to a study, prolonged exposure to the radiation found in deep space could lead to significant heart damage, potentially increasing the risk of sudden cardiac death.
What this adds
The study highlights the need for further research into the long-term effects of deep-space radiation on human health, particularly the heart.
Background
Scientists warn that exposure to deep-space radiation could cause lasting damage to the human heart, raising concerns about the health risks of sending people to Mars.
What's confirmed
- Scientists are warning that exposure to deep-space radiation could cause lasting damage to the human heart, raising new concerns about the health risks of sending people to the Red Planet.
- At 235 days after radiation exposure, they identified persistent mutations in several genes associated with clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP).
What's still developing
- With future Mars missions expected to keep astronauts away from Earth for months or even years, could the journey permanently weaken their hearts?
- Recreating radiation is harder, and requires some specialized equipment.
- Fraser talks about one of the ways we can protect astronauts from radiation - with a magnetosphere.
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- Scientists already know both can have a profound impact on the human body, but just how much of one, and how long that impact can last, remain a mystery.