Space Travel has Major Consequences for the Brain

As space travel becomes increasing normalized it's easy to forget that our bodies are designed for Earth, not outer space

Hiya!

It’s easy to get caught up in the idea of the human species moving to Mars or some planet similar to Earth. Especially with the growing threat of climate change and our rapidly accelerating technology. Pairing that with our unshakable belief that humans are practically indestructible and can find a way around Nature’s limitations for us. It’s no wonder space-living feels increasingly possible.

This view was further engrained when we sent humans into Space, sometimes for months at a time. At first glance, it seems reasonable to assume leaving Earth for Space is a viable option. But behind the glittery image of space travel lurks very real, unavoidable physical limitations because while we can skirt Nature’s rules sometimes, the fact remains that the Human body is made for living on Earth.

The Human Body is Designed for Earth

If you’re anything like me, when you consider the dangers of off-planet travel, you probably imagine a stray object smashing into your craft or an accident during a spacewalk like what’s shown in the movies. But the truth is, spending time in Space wreaks havoc on our bodies, and that’s far more likely to cause problems.

Over the decades, scientists have accumulated a mountain of research showing the effects of microgravity conditions on the human body.

This includes weakening the immune system, muscle atrophy, decalcification of the bones, balancing problems caused by issues in the inner ear, cardiovascular changes, and slightly flattening the eye while causing swelling in the eye’s optic nerve. Then, of course, you’re also exposed to far higher levels of cosmic radiation, elevating cancer risk. And this is a shortlist.

But lately, researchers have focused on learning about Space’s impacts on another part of our body — the brain.