Recent research shows that travelling in space can change the structure of the human brain. What would that mean for future space travel? Read on to know more.
Is space travelling not good for the brain, and what is this study all about?
As humans dream to find new things about space and even hope to have intergalactic travel in future, a new study says that travelling in space might not be the best thing for the human brain. For this research, the experts took the MRI scan of fifteen astronauts who went to space. These MRIs were taken before they went to space and after they came back to the earth. The number of days these astronauts spent in space varied, but the result showed that there were a significant number of changes in the human brain after returning back to the earth.
What were the key findings of this study?
The data collected clearly indicate that space is not quite good for the well-being of our brain. Many astronauts experience eyeball distortion, few changes in the function of eyes, loss of muscle mass and bone density and lastly, exposure to radiation. The study also wanted to establish and identify the changes that happen to human beings due to the ageing process. But the MRIs proved that these changes occur quite faster during space travel. Moreover, these changes were more pronounced and meant that the astronomers might be vulnerable to many negative changes which can be permanent in the brain.
But we still require a bit more data to establish anything concrete.
While the parts of the study are a bit concerning, scientists want to refer to some more data before establishing the negative impact of space travel. They are now researching how these changes intersect with an individual’s biological factors or age, or it is another way for the human body to adapt itself in the zero-gravity environment. Till the time more data is found, the experts refrain from commenting on the full effect of space travelling on humans and its brain. They, however, ensure that till such time they don’t know about the concrete results, all the astronauts are being taken care of to the best of their ability.
But we should not give up on the resilience of the human mind and body. Humans have shown time and again how they are perfectly capable of surviving and moulding themselves in new environments and circumstances.
