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Serious Health Risks: The report from The Guy Foundation identifies critical health concerns for humans in deep space, including accelerated aging, insulin resistance, early diabetes, and reproductive issues, which may be irreversible.
Quantum Biology Insights: The study explores how atomic and subatomic disruptions in cellular energy and information processing in space could harm metabolism, potentially causing significant health risks for astronauts.
Lack of Comprehensive Data: Limited long-term health data on astronauts restricts understanding of these risks, particularly concerning how space travel impacts less fit or older individuals on extended missions.
Call for Urgent Research: The report urges space agencies to investigate these potential health hazards and consider replicating Earth-like environmental conditions in space to maintain astronaut health.
New Report Warns of Serious Health Hazards for Humans in Space
According to a new report from The Guy Foundation, an independent UK research body, humans venturing into space may face more serious health hazards than previously thought. The report, titled “The health hazards of space travel: novel insights from quantum biology,” highlights potential conditions such as accelerated ageing, insulin resistance, early diabetes, and reproductive issues that may arise from extended periods in space.
The report, prepared by a group of internationally recognized scientists from disciplines including physics, quantum biology, and space research, calls for urgent research into these health effects before longer-distance journeys into space are undertaken.
“Up to now, the space community’s focus has been on the physical and engineering challenges inherent in space travel.
These longer-term health issues do not seem to have been recognized or adequately addressed,” said Professor Geoffrey Guy, Chairman of The Guy Foundation. “Simply surviving in space is not the same as living in optimal health and thriving.”
The report has caught the attention of George Freeman MP, former UK Minister of State for Life Science and Space, who commented, “This report provides a pressing reminder of the effects of space travel on human health and has important implications for organizations such as NASA and SpaceX. At the same time, it highlights the opportunities for, and the value of, space health research.”
The report reviews existing research on how reduced and zero gravity, as well as increased radiation levels, may damage human DNA and disrupt cellular metabolism. It also highlights the potential impact of the lack of a magnetic field and changes in the light spectrum on human cells, circadian rhythms, and gut bacteria.
However, the report also notes that research into these effects is hindered by a lack of relevant data. Most astronauts have been young, healthy, and fit, and there is not enough long-term data on larger numbers of humans or animals to ensure the safety of increasing numbers of space travelers.
The report concludes by calling for further experiments to improve our understanding of the underlying causes of space-induced ill health and to develop potential approaches to mitigate it. It also invites interested scientists and organizations to work towards a better understanding of the topic and apply it to improving health for humans in space and on Earth.
The full report and a 5-minute talk on its contents are available at https://www.theguyfoundation.org/space-health/.