NASA study reveals space travel accelerates aging

A National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) study found that space travel damaged blood cells, causing them to age faster. 

This could pose a significant problem for astronauts on long space missions.

According to the study author, Dr. Catriona Jamieson, director of the Sanford Stem Cell Institute at the University of California, San Diego, “Space is the ultimate stress test for the human body.”

Researchers used AI-powered imaging tools to monitor changes in human cells sent to the ISS on four SpaceX missions. Scientists sent human cells to space and used AI tools to track how they changed.

The study found that when cells that produce blood and support the immune system were exposed to space for 30-45 days, they began to deteriorate.

They lost their ability to produce healthy new cells and exhibited signs of damage, including DNA harm and shorter telomeres.

The study author, Jamieson, stated that these findings are crucial because space stressors, such as radiation and microgravity can accelerate cellular ageing. However, some damaged cells showed signs of recovery when returned to a healthy environment on Earth. The findings were published in the Journal Cell Stem Cell.

The researchers now plan to study astronauts’ molecular changes during space missions to develop medical or genetic countermeasures that protect human health.

This could lead to new strategies for mitigating the adverse effects of space travel.