Human space travellers could face health risks far more severe than previously believed, warns a new report from The Guy Foundation, an independent UK-based research organisation. As humans venture further into space, conditions such as accelerated ageing, insulin resistance, early diabetes, and reproductive issues are expected to intensify. These potential health concerns may become irreversible, calling into question the feasibility of deep space exploration.
The report, titled “The Health Hazards of Space Travel: Novel Insights from Quantum Biology,” was compiled by a group of esteemed scientists from diverse fields including physics, quantum biology, and space research. The researchers have identified that space travel’s effects on human biology at the atomic and subatomic levels could disrupt the energy and information processing within our cells. This disruption could have profound consequences on metabolism and health, making it imperative to investigate these issues before embarking on extended space missions.
A New Perspective on Space Travel’s Impact on Health
Professor Geoffrey Guy, Chairman of The Guy Foundation, emphasised that the space community has primarily focused on the physical and engineering challenges of space travel, overlooking the long-term health impacts. “Surviving space travel is one thing, but maintaining optimal health in space is another,” said Professor Guy. “The health effects of space travel on humans have not been adequately addressed, and they need urgent attention.”
The report also garnered attention from George Freeman MP, former UK Minister of State for both Life Sciences and Space, who stressed the report’s significance for space agencies such as NASA and private companies like SpaceX. “This report serves as a timely reminder of the human health risks posed by space travel. It highlights the pressing need for space health research to protect future space explorers,” Freeman said.
The Impact of Space Conditions on Human Biology
The report reviews existing studies on the effects of low-gravity environments on the human body, noting that the absence of the gravitational force typically experienced on Earth causes a lack of stimulation that helps keep cells healthy and generate energy. Additionally, space travellers face elevated radiation levels, which damage DNA and impair the body’s ability to repair itself. More alarmingly, the absence of Earth’s magnetic field and changes in light exposure beyond low-Earth orbit could further stress human cells, disrupting metabolic functions, circadian rhythms, and the beneficial bacteria in the gut, which are crucial to overall health.
While the report highlights these quantum-level biological processes, it notes a significant gap in research. Current studies primarily focus on returning astronauts, but long-term data on their health outcomes is sparse. Moreover, there is little information available regarding the effects of space travel on older or less fit individuals, or on larger populations of astronauts and animals, particularly for extended missions.
Call for Urgent Research to Safeguard Space Exploration
The report urges that further experiments be carried out to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms behind space-induced health risks. It calls for research into how space affects cellular and sub-cellular levels, including the impacts of ionising radiation, microgravity, and altered light environments on astronauts’ health.
The report suggests that creating a perfect Earth-like environment in space might be the only solution for maintaining astronauts’ health. Alternatively, it calls for identifying the most critical factors causing these health issues and exploring ways to mitigate them.
In conclusion, the report invites scientists, space agencies, and organisations to collaborate in expanding our knowledge of space health, with the aim of not only ensuring the well-being of space travellers but also advancing our understanding of human health on Earth.