NASA's Curious Universe

How Lying In Bed For 60 Days Helps Astronauts


Listen Later

In space, microgravity changes the body. Body fluids shift from the legs toward the head, the back of our eyes flatten, we lose muscle strength, our bones lose some of their density, and even the amount of blood pumped by the heart with each beat drops. To learn more about how microgravity affects the human body and develop new ways to help astronauts stay healthy, scientists are asking dozens of volunteers to spend 60 days in bed with their heads tilted down at a specific angle. This research approach tricks the body into reacting very similarly to how it would if a person was aboard the International Space Station for a longer-term mission. Join Andreas Joshi, a volunteer who agreed to be part of this bedrest work, and two NASA scientists leading the study. They’re investigating different ways to combat space-based muscle loss and improve astronauts’ sense of balance by, among other things, teaching volunteers like Joshi to play video games with their feet.  

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

NASA's Curious UniverseBy National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

875 ratings


More shows like NASA's Curious Universe

View all
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science by The Planetary Society

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science

1,356 Listeners

SpaceTime with Stuart Gary by Stuart Gary

SpaceTime with Stuart Gary

321 Listeners

Ask a Spaceman! by Paul M. Sutter

Ask a Spaceman!

838 Listeners

Astronomy Cast by Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela Gay

Astronomy Cast

2,882 Listeners

Universe Today Podcast by Fraser Cain

Universe Today Podcast

566 Listeners

Space Nuts: Astronomy Insights & Cosmic Discoveries by Professor Fred Watson and Andrew Dunkley

Space Nuts: Astronomy Insights & Cosmic Discoveries

231 Listeners

Discovery by BBC World Service

Discovery

965 Listeners

Unexpected Elements by BBC World Service

Unexpected Elements

363 Listeners

CrowdScience by BBC World Service

CrowdScience

471 Listeners

Houston We Have a Podcast by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Houston We Have a Podcast

1,252 Listeners

Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe by iHeartPodcasts

Daniel and Kelly’s Extraordinary Universe

2,367 Listeners

Small Steps, Giant Leaps by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Small Steps, Giant Leaps

73 Listeners

The Supermassive Podcast by The Royal Astronomical Society

The Supermassive Podcast

323 Listeners

Why This Universe? by Dan Hooper, Shalma Wegsman

Why This Universe?

384 Listeners

Universo curioso de la NASA by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Universo curioso de la NASA

55 Listeners

Astrum Space by Astrum

Astrum Space

151 Listeners

Crash Course Pods: The Universe by Crash Course Pods, Complexly

Crash Course Pods: The Universe

572 Listeners