What sorts of well being threats can the Martian mud deliver to future astronauts? That is what a recent study revealed in GeoHealth hopes to deal with as a group of researchers investigated potential persistent well being issues, particularly respiratory and cardiovascular, that future astronauts may face throughout their lengthy journeys to the Pink Planet. This research has the potential to assist astronauts, mission planners, medical professionals, and the general public higher perceive the well being dangers related to touring to Mars and the steps that may be taken to mitigate them.
“This is not probably the most harmful half about going to Mars,” said Justin Wang, who’s a medical research within the Keck College of Medication on the College of Southern California (USC) and lead writer of the research. “However mud is a solvable downside, and it’s price placing within the effort to develop Mars-focused applied sciences for stopping these well being issues within the first place.”
For the research, the researchers carried out an identical examination of drugs on Earth that trigger well being issues and will trigger related issues as Martian mud. The first concern that the researchers recognized is the small grain measurement of the Martian mud particles, which may trigger lung irritation just like the Apollo astronauts skilled from lunar mud (i.e., sneezing). Nonetheless, whereas the Apollo astronauts have been solely inhaling lunar mud for just a few days, future Mars astronauts will endure respiration Martian mud for a number of months at minimal.
“You’re going to get mud in your spacesuits, and also you’re going to must take care of common mud storms,” stated Dr. Brian Hynek, who’s a geologist on the Laboratory for Atmospheric and House Physics (LASP) at CU Boulder and a co-author on the research. “We actually must characterize this mud in order that we all know what the hazards are.”
Different issues are the chemical compositions of Martian mud, a lot of which remains to be unknown. Nonetheless, it’s recognized to be very poisonous, together with perchlorates (firework substances), iron oxides, and different poisonous metals. Different issues embrace encountering better ranges of mud on bigger volcanoes, that are plentiful on Mars.
Justin Wang (left) and Brian Hynek (proper) at Turrialba Volcano in Costa Rica. (Credit score: Justin Wang)
To mitigate these dangers, the researchers suggest growing medical remedies, cleansing procedures, and mud filtration methods to cut back publicity to Martian mud when indoors. It is because Martian mud may follow spacesuits and monitor inside habitats, resulting in well being dangers.
“Prevention is vital. We inform everybody to go see their major care supplier to examine your ldl cholesterol earlier than it provides you a coronary heart assault,” stated Wang. “One of the best factor we will do on Mars is make sure that the astronauts aren’t uncovered to mud within the first place.”
What well being dangers will future Mars astronauts face from Martian mud within the coming years and a long time? Solely time will inform, and this is the reason we science!
As all the time, preserve doing science & preserve wanting up!
Sources: GeoHealth, EurekAlert!
Featured Picture Credit score: NASA/Pat Rawlings/SAIC
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