How is the human skeleton affected by space travel? And why does it matter to the rest of us who may never see the inside of a space shuttle? A recent study answers the first question, finding that astronauts who spend long periods in space suffer damage to their bone structure, causing their skeleton to age prematurely by up to 10 years. To answer the second question, consultant orthopaedic surgeon Dr Rajesh Singh straps on his space boots.

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