Can mice save astronauts on Mars? Scientists find surprising fitness solutions in space | – The Times of India

Space travel isn’t as easy as it seems, though. The human body is not designed to function properly outside of the Earth’s gravitational pull. Muscles atrophy, bones become less dense, and walking becomes exercise. Space travel is not easy, especially when planning to travel to Mars. One thing that scientists are struggling to achieve is how to keep astronauts physically healthy. Surprisingly, the solution to this puzzle was found by small space travelers, mice. New research conducted on the International Space Station (ISS) has provided new information about muscles, gravity, and exercise. This information could change the future of space travel for humans.

How mice help NASA understand space fitness

Rats have now become an integral part of space research due to their similarity to the human body. According to NASA, by studying mice in space, scientists can see how muscles, bones, and other body components respond to the conditions of space in a short period of time. In one experiment, mice were sent into space on the ISS. They were subjected to different gravity conditions for about a month. After that, their muscles, movements, and health were studied. According to physiologist Marie Mortreux from the University of Rhodes Island, it is not easy to conduct direct research on the human body due to the “very complicated and expensive” nature of the research. This is where rats have an advantage over other species. It could give researchers quick results on how the human body would react during a space trip to Mars.

Threshold of gravity: A breakthrough finding

One of the most important things learned from this research is the concept of a “gravity threshold” for maintaining muscle.What scientists have learned:

This is a critical discovery because Mars has a gravity of 0.38g, which is less than the threshold of gravity to fully maintain muscle strength.To put it simply:

According to scientists, this discovery will help them find better solutions to protect the health of astronauts.

Training and exercise: Lessons from rats

In addition to gravity, other exercise-based treatments are also being considered by scientists, especially those derived from studies conducted on rats. According to a study conducted by Johns Hopkins University, jumping exercises can improve the quality of cartilage in mice by at least 26% by thickening the cartilage. The importance of the research, according to the main researcher Marco Chiaberge, states that the positive effects observed from the results of the research on mice “were unexpected, and it is interesting to consider the possibility of applying it to astronauts.” This means that future training for astronauts may include the following:

Astronauts today still exercise for hours every day while in space, yet they still experience muscle loss.

Why is this important for a Mars mission

It is possible to travel to last for years, and the astronaut will be in a state of low gravity. This can lead to serious muscle weakness.Three main aspects can be derived from the mouse study:

Researchers from the state of NASA, “Rats allow scientists to study muscle loss throughout the body, which is impossible to study here on Earth.”

One small step for mice, one giant leap for space health

What may seem like a basic experiment involving mice is, in fact, an important step toward making human life possible on Mars. These discoveries are helping scientists develop smarter fitness, smarter spacecraft, and smarter missions.Ultimately, the key to space exploration lies not in our rockets and technology, but in the research of mice floating high above our heads.