Astronauts fly to the International Space Stations, and the race to establish human colonies on Mars accelerates.

Scientists have observed, through several research studies, that the human stay in space for long periods in light of weak gravity is not without consequences and consequences that negatively affect human health.

It is necessary to identify all these health risks and find solutions to them so that they do not threaten humanity's dream of space travel and turn Mars into an extension of the planet Earth.

Search for gravity

In the movie "The Space Between Us", an astronaut discovers that she was pregnant during the flight to the first human colony on Mars, and dies in labor, and her son grows up adapting to Mars's weaker gravity compared to Earth until he is 16 years old.

Growing up for so long on Mars made the young man's heart unbearable to leave the space colony and return to Earth.

And when the boy insists on returning to Earth, they will conduct surgery on him to increase the density of his bones and begin exercises to adapt to the Earth's climate. His return to Earth was fraught with many dangers because his heart would not be able to bear the strong gravity of the Earth, and thus he would not be able to pump blood to all parts of the body.

Events follow and the young man's heart collapses, so his billionaire father rushes him to a space shuttle to reach the liberation zone to save his life, and he decides to live with his son on Mars for life.

The story of the movie "The Space Between Us" is based on the dangers of space travel to our bodies (social networking sites)

Perhaps that movie is the only one whose story is based entirely on the dangers of space travel to our human bodies.

And how space travel threatens our lives with gravity.

But the only difference between the hero and the astronauts is that he grew up in a planet with weak gravity, while the astronauts who travel to the International Space Station were born and lived in the gravity of the Earth and then moved to live in a very weak gravity for 6 months.

The effect of space on the movement of fluids in the human body

Astronauts spend long periods of up to 6 months in the International Space Station, during which time their bodies try to adapt to the weak or almost zero gravity conditions on the space station, but this does not happen without a long list of fears and negative damages to which they are exposed.

Several American universities have recently conducted a scientific study published in the journal "Scientefic Reports" to assess the effect of near-zero gravity on the brain functions of astronauts, and it is the first of its kind that focuses on the comparative analysis of an important aspect of brain health in space, especially the areas surrounding the vessels. The blood vessels in the brain through which cerebrospinal fluid enters the brain and are responsible for draining cerebrospinal fluid around the gray area.

Astronauts spend extended periods of up to 6 months on the International Space Station (NASA)

As reported by Science Alert, the study observed worrisome changes that accompany astronauts throughout the periods between space travel missions.

During the study, researchers in various US states conducted a series of magnetic resonance imaging examinations on the brains of 15 astronauts before their stay for 6 months on the International Space Station and for 6 months after their return.

By comparing radiographs before and after space travel, the researchers found an increase in the volume of areas of fluid surrounding blood vessels in the brains of new astronauts who traveled to the International Space Station for the first time, but they did not observe the same increase in astronauts who previously worked on the space station and stayed. There are long periods, as the tests detected slight differences.

Juan Biantino, a neuroscientist at Oregon Health & Science University and an author of the study explains, "It appears that veteran astronauts have reached a stage of physical and physiological balance. Previous studies of brain tissue and fluid volumes have found that these Tissues recover slowly from their time in space, and some changes may accompany astronauts for a year or more.

It is known that astronauts at the moment rarely travel to space more than 3 times in their lifetime, and usually do not stay more than 6 months at a time.

But future travel trips to Mars will take several years, and for this it is necessary to know the effect of prolonged stay in space under weak or limited gravity on the functions of vital organs within humans.

Researchers have found an increase in the volume of areas of fluid surrounding blood vessels in the brains of new astronauts (Scientific Reports)

Function of areas filled with cerebrospinal fluid

These areas are an integral part of the normal system for draining fluid around the gray matter and clearing the brain of waste and waste that accumulates in brain cells during waking hours.

This natural system, which is known as the glymphatic system and covers the entire brain, cleanses the brain of metabolic proteins that may accumulate in the brain during wakefulness.

If these vessels do not efficiently drain fluid out of the tissues, harmful substances may accumulate, increasing the risk of neurodegenerative disorders caused by deterioration or wear of nerves.

An increase in the size of the perivascular areas usually occurs with age and is also associated with the development of dementia.

"The study results may be useful in the diagnosis and treatment of terrestrial cerebrospinal fluid-related diseases such as hydrocephalus," says Biantino. "They not only help understand the fundamental changes that occur during space travel, but also help people on Earth who suffer from diseases that affect the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid. ".

Questions that the study did not answer

The study has not yet revealed the extent to which repeated flights to space affect the exacerbation of symptoms and changes, as well as the role of changes that occur in the first flight in the adaptation of astronauts to the new reality.

Even after knowing the effect of prolonged stay in space on the dilation of the surrounding blood vessels, it was not yet clear whether the change was accompanied by any significant health risks.

It is too early to know if microgravity has an effect on the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid (Shutterstock)

It's also too early to know if microgravity has any effect on the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid around our brains, let alone how dangerous changes in the shapes of the network of channels are.

And it may not become clear until researchers have a sufficient sample of veteran astronauts with extensive space travel experiences.

Of course, scientists know all about these changes caused by living in space beyond the potential harms of travel and work in outer space.

As Juan Biantino says, "This information prompts you to raise some fundamental issues in science and how life evolved on Earth."

We do not feel any suffering because of the permanent attraction of gravity to the earth, it is not something that we resist or fight or seek to get rid of, but we feel in complete harmony with it, our bodies have become accustomed to take advantage of the force of gravity in the flow of blood and the disposal of waste and perhaps a variety of other functions that We hardly think about it.

By studying subtle changes in astronauts' health, body composition and functions under conditions never known to man, scientists are learning more about the diseases and disorders our bodies have successfully tolerated on Earth.