Six weird facts.
What does life in space do to you? From trouble sleeping to wimpy muscles, living on board the International Space Station really does a number on the human body.
(a) You grow taller
During the six months that most astronauts spend on the International Space Station, they can
grow up to 3% taller. Without gravity, the spine is free to expand, making the space fliers taller,
even when they first return to Earth.
The astronauts return to their pre-flight height after a few months of being back within the
planet's gravity.
(b) Puffy faces and skinny legs
When on Earth, the fluids in the human body are distributed unevenly because of gravity. Most
fluid pools in the lower extremities, leaving little fluid in the top of the body. Life in orbit
changes all of that.
For the first few weeks of space flight, most astronauts appear to have a puffy head and skinny
legs. The fluid in their bodies redistributes evenly when gravity isn't playing a role in their
systems. After a little time in orbit, however, the body adapts to the new distribution of fluids
and the astronauts don't appear as puffy.
(c) Co-ordination conundrum after landing
After coming home from a stint on the space station, many astronauts have reported difficulty
adjusting back to gravity.
Sometimes, space fliers will drop things, forgetting that gravity is influential back on Earth.
After six months in microgravity conditions, it is difficult to adjust to life in a place where
materials fall if you drop them.
(d) Muscle mass meltdown
In the weightlessness of space, muscles aren't needed to support the body. An astronaut's
muscles start to adapt to that change almost immediately. Instead of maintaining the usual
base of muscle mass needed for life on Earth, astronauts' bodies quickly get to work ridding
themselves of unnecessary tissue.
Although this might be ideal in space, it's problematic once back on Earth. Astronauts have to
exercise for two hours a day on the space station just to maintain a healthy amount of muscle
mass that they will need once they are back on the planet.
(e) Bone density loss
All that exercise on the space station also helps prevent bone density loss. Each month,
astronauts could lose up up to 1% of their bone density if they don't get enough exercise.
There are two treadmills and two stationary bicycles on board the space station to help the
residents keep in shape during their time in orbit.
(f) You can't sleep
Astronauts have reported seeing flashes of light zap through their eyes as they try to rest,
making it difficult for them to sleep on the space station.
The flashes are actually from the cosmic rays - high energy particles that beam through the
solar system - shooting through the orbiting outpost. Space fliers have described the flashes as
"fireworks" or "streaks". Although the radiation from the cosmic rays can build up over time, the
particles don't pose too much of a risk during the limited time that astronauts spend on the
station.
My take.
We'd better get used to these phenomena as inter-planetary movements by human beings is something that's gonna become common when we start living on the Moon, Mars etc in the not too distant future!
Tailpiece.
Got up on the dot at 6, only to know that the maid wouldn't be coming for work as she's down with fever. It was, thus, Lekha's efforts in the kitchen. A quiet day with washing machinex of the clothes used in the last trip.
What does life in space do to you? From trouble sleeping to wimpy muscles, living on board the International Space Station really does a number on the human body.
(a) You grow taller
During the six months that most astronauts spend on the International Space Station, they can
grow up to 3% taller. Without gravity, the spine is free to expand, making the space fliers taller,
even when they first return to Earth.
The astronauts return to their pre-flight height after a few months of being back within the
planet's gravity.
(b) Puffy faces and skinny legs
When on Earth, the fluids in the human body are distributed unevenly because of gravity. Most
fluid pools in the lower extremities, leaving little fluid in the top of the body. Life in orbit
changes all of that.
For the first few weeks of space flight, most astronauts appear to have a puffy head and skinny
legs. The fluid in their bodies redistributes evenly when gravity isn't playing a role in their
systems. After a little time in orbit, however, the body adapts to the new distribution of fluids
and the astronauts don't appear as puffy.
(c) Co-ordination conundrum after landing
After coming home from a stint on the space station, many astronauts have reported difficulty
adjusting back to gravity.
Sometimes, space fliers will drop things, forgetting that gravity is influential back on Earth.
After six months in microgravity conditions, it is difficult to adjust to life in a place where
materials fall if you drop them.
(d) Muscle mass meltdown
In the weightlessness of space, muscles aren't needed to support the body. An astronaut's
muscles start to adapt to that change almost immediately. Instead of maintaining the usual
base of muscle mass needed for life on Earth, astronauts' bodies quickly get to work ridding
themselves of unnecessary tissue.
Although this might be ideal in space, it's problematic once back on Earth. Astronauts have to
exercise for two hours a day on the space station just to maintain a healthy amount of muscle
mass that they will need once they are back on the planet.
(e) Bone density loss
All that exercise on the space station also helps prevent bone density loss. Each month,
astronauts could lose up up to 1% of their bone density if they don't get enough exercise.
There are two treadmills and two stationary bicycles on board the space station to help the
residents keep in shape during their time in orbit.
(f) You can't sleep
Astronauts have reported seeing flashes of light zap through their eyes as they try to rest,
making it difficult for them to sleep on the space station.
The flashes are actually from the cosmic rays - high energy particles that beam through the
solar system - shooting through the orbiting outpost. Space fliers have described the flashes as
"fireworks" or "streaks". Although the radiation from the cosmic rays can build up over time, the
particles don't pose too much of a risk during the limited time that astronauts spend on the
station.
My take.
We'd better get used to these phenomena as inter-planetary movements by human beings is something that's gonna become common when we start living on the Moon, Mars etc in the not too distant future!
Tailpiece.
Got up on the dot at 6, only to know that the maid wouldn't be coming for work as she's down with fever. It was, thus, Lekha's efforts in the kitchen. A quiet day with washing machinex of the clothes used in the last trip.
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