In brief A recent study, using data from SpaceX's Inspiration4 mission and 64 NASA astronauts, suggests that women may be better suited for space travel than men.
Additionally, the study discovered that space travel can lengthen telomeres, the protective caps on chromosomes, and alter immune system responses, with most changes reversing within three months of returning to Earth.
Making it simpler... Next Article Next ArticleWomen may have better advantage in spaceWomen's bodies may tolerate space travel better than men: StudyBy Akash Pandey 03:09 pm Jun 16, 202403:09 pmWhat's the story A recent study, published in Nature Communications, suggests that women may have a slight advantage over men in tolerating the harsh conditions of space travel.
Research detailsStudy draws from Inspiration4 mission dataThe study drew heavily from data collected during the Inspiration4 mission in 2021, a civilian spaceflight mission conducted by SpaceX.
Gender differencesWomen recover faster from spaceflight conditionsThe study analyzed gene activity and immune system responses in these biosamples.
In brief Simplifying... In brief A recent study, using data from SpaceX's Inspiration4 mission and 64 NASA astronauts, suggests that women may be better suited for space travel than men.
The research found that female astronauts recover faster from spaceflight conditions, possibly due to their ability to handle physiological changes during pregnancy.
Additionally, the study discovered that space travel can lengthen telomeres, the protective caps on chromosomes, and alter immune system responses, with most changes reversing within three months of returning to Earth. Was a long read? Making it simpler... Next Article Next Article
Women may have better advantage in space
Women's bodies may tolerate space travel better than men: Study
By Akash Pandey 03:09 pm Jun 16, 202403:09 pm
What's the story A recent study, published in Nature Communications, suggests that women may have a slight advantage over men in tolerating the harsh conditions of space travel. The research, led by Christopher Mason, a professor of physiology and biophysics at Weill Cornell Medicine, indicates that women recover more quickly from the effects of spaceflight than men. Although the study's findings are preliminary, they could potentially influence our understanding of how human biology responds to extended periods in space.
Research details
Study draws from Inspiration4 mission data
The study drew heavily from data collected during the Inspiration4 mission in 2021, a civilian spaceflight mission conducted by SpaceX. The four-person crew provided comprehensive biological samples before, during, and after their three-day orbit. These samples were deemed more representative of the average human, than those typically provided by highly trained astronauts. Data from 64 NASA astronauts was also analyzed as part of the study.
Gender differences
Women recover faster from spaceflight conditions
The study analyzed gene activity and immune system responses in these biosamples. The results showed that female astronauts recovered more quickly from spaceflight conditions upon their return to Earth, than their male counterparts who "appear to be more affected by spaceflight for almost all cell types and metrics," the researchers wrote. Mason suggested that this could be due to women's ability to withstand the stresses of pregnancy, which enables them to "tolerate large changes in physiology and fluid dynamics."
Findings
Space travel impacts immune system and chromosomes
The study also found that telomeres, protective caps on human chromosomes, which shorten as we age, lengthened after just three days in space. The researchers also discovered that certain components of the immune system ramped up. There was a rise in anti-inflammatory proteins called cytokines, while the genes tasked with encoding virus-fighting antigens known as leukocytes, were somewhat suppressed. Most of these changes reversed within three months of returning to Earth.
