Tag

Microgravity

All articles tagged with #microgravity

science3 hours ago•3 min saved

China Probes Early Human Development in Space With Synthetic Embryos

China has sent synthetic human embryos to the Tiangong space station to study how microgravity affects early development. The two sample groups—one cultured on uterine cells simulating implantation and another on a microfluidic chip modeling early tissue formation—will run for five days before being frozen for Earth-based analysis; the samples cannot develop into a fetus. Results will be compared with a planet-based control to gauge space effects on development, building on prior animal studies and addressing questions about human reproduction in space.

via Futurism|

#biology #china-space-program #embryo-research

science6 days ago•12 min saved

Spaceflight bone loss reshapes osteoporosis treatment on Earth

Astronauts on the ISS lose 1-2% of bone mineral density per month due to microgravity, so a six‑month mission can erase roughly a year’s worth of bone mass for a postmenopausal person. NASA’s countermeasures—ARED-based resistance exercise, cardio, and, in some cases, alendronate—partially slow the loss but do not prevent it, and recovery after return remains incomplete, effectively aging skeletal health by about a decade for longer missions. These findings are driving terrestrial osteoporosis research and potential treatments, though transfer to Earth is not direct and requires clinical adaptation.

via Space Daily|

#bone-density #countermeasures #iss

space8 days ago•4 min saved

SpaceX Dragon Delivers 6,500 Pounds of Science to the ISS

A SpaceX Dragon cargo capsule autonomously docked with the International Space Station, delivering about 6,500 pounds of research and supplies including microgravity experiments, a wooden bone scaffold, and studies on red blood cells and the spleen, plus instruments to study space weather, planetary formation, and Earth–Moon radiation effects, underscoring SpaceX’s pivotal role in sustaining ISS research.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#cargo-resupply #international-space-station #microgravity

technology13 days ago•5 min saved

Orbital pharma gains momentum as Varda teams with United Therapeutics to grow drugs in microgravity

Private space startup Varda Space Industries is expanding commercial drug production in orbit, partnering with United Therapeutics to use microgravity to improve drug crystallization and stability. The approach combines Earth‑based screening in a new 10,000‑sq‑ft lab with a plan to launch multiple autonomous satellites to test and manufacture therapies in space, aiming to shorten development times and create products valuable enough to justify reentry to Earth. This marks a notable milestone in the evolving orbital biotech economy as the cadence of launches increases and long‑term goals shift toward building a space‑based pharmaceutical business.

via Ars Technica|

#microgravity #orbital-manufacturing #pharmaceuticals

science28 days ago•33 min saved

Christina Koch’s Earthly re-entry: relearning balance after lunar orbit

NASA astronaut Christina Koch, who orbited the Moon on Artemis 2, struggles to walk on Earth in a video as her brain re-acclimates to gravity; experts note that long exposure to microgravity disrupts the vestibular system, so astronauts rely on visual cues to balance and may remain unsteady for days after return.

via Yahoo News New Zealand|

#artemis-2 #balance #christina-koch

science1 month ago•4 min saved

Astronauts' Gravity Sense Lingers After Months in Space

A study of 11 astronauts (2 women, 9 men) over at least five months on the ISS found that the brain retains a gravity imprint that shapes how they grip and move objects in microgravity; on Earth, they tend to grip more firmly than needed and mispredict object mass, but movements quickly re-adapt after return. The research, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, highlights gradual neural reprogramming as the brain recalibrates to Earth's gravity, with some astronauts noting objects feel heavier even after re-entry.

via ScienceAlert|

#astronauts #gravity #microgravity

science1 month ago•5 min saved

Microgravity Rewrites Astronauts' Grip, Study Finds

A new study finds that microgravity alters how the brain interprets sensory feedback, causing astronauts to grip objects too forcefully in space and take months to readjust after returning to Earth, with safety implications for space operations and a need for updated training protocols.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#astronauts #grip-strength #microgravity

space1 month ago•31 min saved

Christina Koch Begins Earthbound Recovery From Artemis II Vestibular Changes

Christina Koch says her vestibular system isn’t functioning normally after Artemis II’s 10-day lunar flyby and is undergoing physical therapy to readjust to Earth's gravity; she explains that the brain relies on vision and eyes to orient itself after microgravity, with a tandem walk with eyes closed being particularly challenging, and notes recovery is underway about a week after splashdown as NASA researchers study neuro-vestibular effects from extended microgravity missions.

via Yahoo News UK|

#artemis-ii #christina-koch #microgravity

science1 month ago•32 min saved

Koch Begins Earthbound Recovery From Artemis II Vestibular Effects

NASA astronaut Christina Koch is recovering on Earth after Artemis II, where a 10-day lunar flyby led to vestibular disruption from microgravity. She described her vestibular system not signaling properly upon returning to gravity, causing balance challenges that require relying on visual cues; she’s now undergoing physical therapy and notes recovery is progressing about a week after splashdown, with findings that could inform treatment of vertigo and other neuro-vestibular conditions.

via Yahoo|

#artemis-ii #christina-koch #microgravity

science1 month ago•6 min saved

Cygnus XL Set to Deliver Breakthrough Research Tools to the ISS

NASA's Expedition 74 crew is prepping for the Cygnus XL cargo mission to the ISS, delivering advanced microgravity research tools that could revolutionize quantum computing, stem cell therapies, and astronaut health. The week includes Canadarm2 capture and installation training on the Unity module, spacesuit maintenance and battery swaps, plus international collaboration with Roscosmos and ESA tech demonstrations to push toward future deep-space exploration.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#cygnus #iss #microgravity

space1 month ago•64 min saved

Nuclear rockets, lunar ambitions, and the munchies: this week in science

This week’s science roundup spotlights NASA’s plan for a $20 billion lunar base and a nuclear-powered spacecraft for interplanetary travel, new findings that zero gravity severely hampers human reproduction in space, and an explainer on why cannabis triggers intense munchies, alongside broader science news including climate implications from the Iran conflict.

via Live Science|

#cannabis-munchies #microgravity #nasa

science1 month ago•34 min saved

Cosmic parenthood in doubt as space-like microgravity halves sperm navigation

New microgravity experiments using a tiny obstacle course showed human and mouse sperm navigated about 50% less effectively in space-like conditions, resulting in roughly a 30% drop in fertilization. While some sperm still reach the egg and may form higher-quality embryos, embryo development in weightlessness could pose major challenges, suggesting space reproduction may be possible only for the fittest sperm and with careful embryo protection as NASA pursues Moon and Mars settlements.

via Yahoo|

#embryo-development #microgravity #reproduction

space-exploration1 month ago•75 min saved

Space reproduction hurdles: microgravity slows sperm and embryo development

A University of Adelaide study used a 3D clinostat to simulate microgravity and found that sperm from humans, mice, and pigs had about 30% fewer chances to reach eggs in microgravity, while embryos formed under these conditions initially appeared stronger but degraded with longer exposure. The results suggest mammalian reproduction in space could be highly challenging for long-term space settlements, though future work could explore partial gravity (Moon/Mars) and potential IVF advances on Earth.

via Space|

#embryos #ivf #microgravity

space2 months ago•97 min saved

Microgravity May Block Reproduction, Complicating Space Colonization

A study using a clinostat to simulate microgravity found that sperm navigation, fertilization, and embryo development are impaired in mammals (humans, mice, and pigs) under near-zero gravity, with fertilization dropping by about 30% in mice and 15% in pigs and embryos showing developmental delays. Progesterone helped sperm navigate but required unusually high concentrations, and safety concerns remain. These findings highlight gravity’s deep role in reproductive biology and suggest that long-term space settlements face significant fertility challenges, underscoring the need for further research before space colonization can be considered viable.

via Live Science|

#astronauts #fertility #microgravity

science2 months ago•4 min saved

Sperm Lose Direction in Microgravity, Raising Spaceflight Reproduction Concerns

Researchers used a 3D clinostat to simulate microgravity and tested human, pig, and mouse sperm in a channel resembling the female reproductive tract; they found a significant drop in the number of sperm reaching the egg under microgravity, not due to motor changes but impaired direction sensing; fertilization dropped about 30% after four hours of exposure, with longer exposure causing delays and fewer embryos; progesterone could still guide sperm, indicating chemotaxis remains important; the findings, published in Communications Biology, imply spaceflight could affect reproductive outcomes in humans and livestock, highlighting the need for further research.

via ScienceAlert|

#fertilization #microgravity #reproduction