Unique research conducted to respond to the changes the human body experiences in space is a hot topic. It is an experiment in which you lie in bed all day for two months.
The European Space Agency (ESA) announced on its homepage on the 23rd (local time) that it is conducting a bed rest and cycling exercise study using artificial gravity (BRACE).
According to this, 12 male participants had to lie with their feet up on a bed with an angle of 6 degrees for 60 days. You should maintain this position during meals, showers, toilets, and breaks.
In space, where there is almost no gravity, more blood is concentrated on the head than on Earth, so it is to look at the changes the human body experiences in this state and find a way to respond to negative body reactions.
In fact, the body of an astronaut performing a space mission is affected by everything from the eyes to the heart due to weightlessness, and muscles and bones become weak, ESA explained.
The research team also conducts a bicycle riding experiment while lying down to check the effect of exercise in space. In space, gravity is weak and blood does not flow toward the legs, but participants conduct an experiment in which blood is directed toward the feet while rotating in a centrifuge.
Rebecca Villett, director of the clinical study, explained, “We have participants ride their bikes vigorously and then compare the difference with people who don’t ride bikes at all.”
Participants in the experiment receive 18,000 euros (about 25.6 million won) for 60 days.
ESA hoped that this experiment would help not only spacecraft, but also musculoskeletal disorders in the elderly or bedridden patients.
The research is conducted at the Institute for Space Medicine and Physiology (MEDES) in Toulouse, France. It starts in April and runs until July. A follow-up study was scheduled for January to April next year.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.