NASA Twin Study for Travel to Mars
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/how-st...an-body-we-now-have-a-peek-into-what-the-nasa
The interesting part of the article was the discussion on telomeres.
Susan Bailey’s investigation focuses on Telomeres and Telomerase. It is understood that when looked at over many years, telomeres decrease in length as a person ages. Interestingly, on a time scale of just one year, Bailey found Scott’s telomeres on the ends of chromosomes in his white blood cells increased in length while in space. This could be linked to increased exercise and reduced caloric intake during the mission. However, upon his return to Earth they began to shorten again. Interestingly, telomerase activity (the enzyme that repairs the telomeres and lengthens them) increased in both twins in November, which may be related to a significant, stressful family event happening around that time.
So living in space would actually lengthen your life span based on the telomeres increasing in length?
I think the telomeres are like the roots of a tree. They roots will constantly find new water sources until the roots find enough water to maintain the trees growth over a certain number of years.
In this case I think the telomeres are searching for gravity that they interact with to provide a blueprint for how the body should take in nutrients.
If traveling away from the Earth increases the telomeres that are attributed to aging then a person shouldn't age when traveling in space but would age when then encountered an Earth like gravitational field.
I also wonder, how the telomeres would react when in the presence of a gas giant such as Jupiter or Saturn?
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/how-st...an-body-we-now-have-a-peek-into-what-the-nasa
The interesting part of the article was the discussion on telomeres.
Susan Bailey’s investigation focuses on Telomeres and Telomerase. It is understood that when looked at over many years, telomeres decrease in length as a person ages. Interestingly, on a time scale of just one year, Bailey found Scott’s telomeres on the ends of chromosomes in his white blood cells increased in length while in space. This could be linked to increased exercise and reduced caloric intake during the mission. However, upon his return to Earth they began to shorten again. Interestingly, telomerase activity (the enzyme that repairs the telomeres and lengthens them) increased in both twins in November, which may be related to a significant, stressful family event happening around that time.
So living in space would actually lengthen your life span based on the telomeres increasing in length?
I think the telomeres are like the roots of a tree. They roots will constantly find new water sources until the roots find enough water to maintain the trees growth over a certain number of years.
In this case I think the telomeres are searching for gravity that they interact with to provide a blueprint for how the body should take in nutrients.
If traveling away from the Earth increases the telomeres that are attributed to aging then a person shouldn't age when traveling in space but would age when then encountered an Earth like gravitational field.
I also wonder, how the telomeres would react when in the presence of a gas giant such as Jupiter or Saturn?
