Traveling To Mars May Permanently Damage Astronauts’ Guts


Findings of new research could have implications in NASA’s plans to send humans to planet Mars. The animal study revealed that deep space travel may leave astronauts with permanently damaged gastrointestinal tracts.

In a new study published n the journal PNAS, researchers used mice to test the effects of exposure to heavy ion radiation that mimics the galactic cosmic radiation in deep space.

The researchers found that mice that had long exposure to low dose galactic radiation suffered from permanent damage to their gastrointestinal tracts and could no longer absorb nutrients from their food. The animals also developed cancerous growth in the intestines.

The findings suggest that exposure to space radiations on long space voyages may leave astronauts with permanently damaged intestines. The study also raises concern that deep space travel may raise risks of stomach and colon cancer.

According to study researcher Kamal Datta from Georgetown University, short trips to the moon do not expose humans to the kind of damage they observed, but there is concern of lasting injury in those who will embark on a long journey in space.

Energetic heavy ions do not affect humans on Earth because of the magnetosphere that serves as a protective bubble that shields Earthlings from cosmic rays.

The magnetosphere happens to extend 35,000 miles above the Earth’s surface, which means that the astronauts onboard the International Space Station are protected from the damaging radiation.

Things, however, will be different once astronauts go on a deep space mission, such as traveling to planet Mars. While a journey to the moon only takes about three days, traveling from Earth to the red planet may take nine months.

“We have documented the effects of deep space radiation on some vital organs, but we believe that similar damage responses may occur in many organs,” Datta said in a statement published by the Georgetown University Medical Center. “It is important to understand these effects in advance so we can do everything we can to protect our future space travelers.”

Datta explained that heavy ions such as iron and silicon can cause damage because they have greater mass than no-mass photons such as x-rays and gamma rays that are prevalent on Earth.

Unfortunately, we do not yet have the technology needed to efficiently protect astronauts from the dangerous effects of heavy ion radiation. While medicines may be able to counter these adverse effects, the researchers said that these agents have not yet been developed.

Share this article: Traveling To Mars May Permanently Damage Astronauts’ Guts
More from Inquisitr