How Space Travel Affects The Body

00:04:56
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaE24IFS2UA

Summary

TLDRThe video outlines the profound effects of space travel on the human body, stemming from altered gravity and increased radiation exposure. It discusses NASA's initiatives, such as the Human Research Program and the notable twin study, which investigates how environments impact health. The talk emphasizes the importance of developing protective technologies for astronauts as space exploration progresses, especially in light of potential colonization of other planets. Continued innovation is essential to minimize health risks and maximize the benefits of human space travel.

Takeaways

  • 🚀 Space exploration began with Sputnik in 1957.
  • 🌌 NASA was created shortly after to advance space exploration.
  • 🌕 Apollo 11 marked the first successful manned moon landing in the 60s.
  • ⚖️ Changing gravity affects astronauts' coordination and health.
  • 💔 Bone density in space drops 1% per month due to lower gravity.
  • ☢️ Cosmic radiation in space is 10 times that on Earth.
  • 🔬 NASA studies space's effects through the Human Research Program.
  • 👥 The twin study explored health impacts in different environments.
  • 🛡️ Innovations are essential for astronaut protection in space.
  • 🌠 Future space travel may lead to colonization of other planets.

Timeline

  • 00:00:00 - 00:04:56

    The launch of Sputnik in 1957 heralded the beginning of human exploration into outer space, prompting advancements in space technology and leading to the formation of NASA. The 1960s saw significant milestones, including men landing on the moon and extended manned space missions. NASA's Gemini and Apollo programs helped scientists study the effects of long-duration spaceflight on the human body, revealing that gravity changes impact balance, coordination, and lead to ailments like motion sickness. Additionally, astronauts experienced reduced bone density and shifting bodily fluids due to lower gravity, causing vision issues and kidney stones.

Mind Map

Video Q&A

  • What year was Sputnik launched?

    Sputnik was launched in 1957.

  • What effects does changing gravity have on astronauts?

    Changing gravity affects spatial orientation, coordination, and can lead to motion sickness and bone density loss.

  • How does cosmic radiation affect astronauts?

    Cosmic radiation increases the risk of cancer, damages the nervous system, and can lead to degenerative diseases.

  • What is the twin study?

    The twin study involved astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly, where one lived on the ISS for a year while the other stayed on Earth, allowing researchers to study health impacts from the environment.

  • What innovations have come from NASA's Human Research Program?

    The program has led to better space suits, synthesized foods and medicines, and advanced life support systems for astronauts.

  • Why is space travel important for scientific exploration?

    It helps answer scientific questions and enhances our understanding of the universe and ourselves.

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  • 00:00:00
    with the launch of sputnik in 1957
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    the world was witness to human beings
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    venturing into outer space
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    an event that catalyzed decades of space
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    exploration and technological innovation
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    for countries
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    all over the world shortly after
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    sputnik's launch
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    nasa was created in a revolutionary move
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    just as john f kennedy stated
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    the 60s saw men landing on the moon with
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    apollo 11.
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    as more and more manned space operations
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    started succeeding
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    space agencies started daring to venture
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    further and further into outer space
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    humans started leaving for space for
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    longer and longer periods of time
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    during the 1960s nasa broke through with
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    the project's gemini
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    and apollo testing astronauts ability to
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    endure long periods of space flight
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    consequently scientists began to see the
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    effects that space was having on the
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    human body
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    first we touch upon the effects of
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    changing gravitational states on the
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    body
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    astronauts often find themselves
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    encountering different levels of forces
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    based on where they are in space
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    due to changing gravity astronauts
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    experience changes in spatial
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    orientation
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    hand-eye and head-eye coordination
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    balance and locomotion
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    reportedly motion sickness is quite the
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    common ailment in space
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    nasa has also learned that moving
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    between different gravitational states
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    results in bones losing vital minerals
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    with bone density dropping one percent a
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    month
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    on earth this rate is usually around one
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    tenth of that
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    the change in gravity also results in
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    fluids shifting toward the head
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    causing vision problems and kidney
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    stones as a result of dehydration
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    and increased excretion of calcium from
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    the bones
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    cosmic radiation is just as detrimental
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    to the human body
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    as changing gravity states in space at
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    the iss
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    astronauts are faced with 10 times the
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    radiation levels
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    that humans experience on earth's
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    surface though earth's magnetic field
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    and atmosphere protect us from this
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    radiation on land
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    space is no man's land for these killer
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    waves
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    radiation exposure at the levels
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    experienced in outer space causes cancer
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    damage to the central nervous system
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    reduced motor functions and drastic
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    behavior changes
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    you could develop degenerative tissue
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    diseases such as cataracts
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    cardiac and circulatory diseases in
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    space due to this radiation as well
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    and on top of this the food and medicine
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    astronauts need to survive in space
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    are also subject to this radiation
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    scientists have to engineer special
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    solutions to protect
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    astronauts as well as their vital
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    resources against gravitational force
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    changes and cosmic radiation in space
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    after many years of space exploration
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    nasa established the human research
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    program in 2004
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    to formally study in great detail
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    space's effects on the human body
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    many of you have heard of their famous
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    experiment term the twin study
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    astronauts mark and scott kelly were
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    separated
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    one remaining on earth while the other
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    lived aboard the iss for a year
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    because identical twins share the same
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    genetic makeup
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    the study provided a way for scientists
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    to explore how our health is impacted by
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    the environment around us
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    independent of the physical variations
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    that naturally occur between most of us
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    as individuals
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    based on the results of studies like
  • 00:03:33
    this one the hrp
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    has been able to develop and iteratively
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    improve devices and methods that protect
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    astronauts and their resources from the
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    bad parts of space we talked about
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    these include better space suits
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    synthesized foods and medicines
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    high-tech on-board systems to remove
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    carbon dioxide and provide oxygen for
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    astronauts aboard the iss and special
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    heat shielding panels and tech
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    for spacesuits and spacecraft if the
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    human race ever follows a storyline like
  • 00:04:02
    interstellars
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    and decides to colonize another planet
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    we're going to need
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    significant protection against the many
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    dangerous forces in space
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    and even if we don't go down that route
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    to ensure the safety of our brave
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    astronauts as they explore the cosmos
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    and send important knowledge back down
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    to earth we must keep supporting the
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    innovation that makes space travel
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    possible
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    many scientific questions we never
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    dreamed of answering 40 to 50 years ago
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    have been solved by human space
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    exploration with companies such as
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    spacex and virgin galactic among others
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    people will increasingly start traveling
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    into space and knowing how space travel
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    affects the body is of utmost importance
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    if we want to limit casualties and
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    maximize opportunity
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    well that wraps up our two cents about
  • 00:04:47
    space travel's effects on the human body
  • 00:04:49
    stay tuned for more science videos you
Tags
  • space travel
  • human body
  • astronauts
  • NASA
  • cosmic radiation
  • gravity
  • twin study
  • health effects
  • innovation
  • exploration