Every day it becomes increasingly clear that sooner or later a new space race will lead to the fact that humanity will leave the same Earth-mother. Whether we want it or not, space travel will become an integral part of our future. More precisely, our unlikely, but our grandchildren and great grandchildren — it is possible. However, before you start packing, it would be prudent to see what effects space has on the human body. Almost every paragraph in this article, we have already disassembled more than once or twice individually, but we are talking about very serious things. And in such cases it is better to be prepared on all hundred. And looking ahead, I will say only one thing: not so wanted…
Syndrome space adaptation
Without earth’s gravity, putting pressure on the human body, you can make space sickness, also known as space adaptation syndrome. On symptoms it is similar to sea-sickness, but at the same time there is added headache, confusion, constant feeling of discomfort, dizziness, nausea, and sometimes vomiting. About half of those people who flew to space, experienced this syndrome, so you’re not the first and not the last. Once your body adapts to zero gravity, things will get better. The good news is that statistically, this syndrome is observed in only a few days, so collect will in a fist and try not to soil all-around their own vomit.
Believe me, vomiting in space is much worse than you can imagine. And if so happened that you need to wear a spacesuit, before doing this make sure that you use a special patch from sickness. Vomiting in space is not fun. Vomiting in space can kill you. Imagine that on your head aquarium is connected with a vacuum pipe for the air supply. Now imagine that you threw up in that bowl. First, you will see nothing, and secondly, there is a chance just to drown in that revealed in the light of your body.
What is that smell?
If you think that, once in space, your nose will not have to taste his very special smell, you are mistaken. It would seem that in space there is no air. A vacuum can not contain any fragrances. So what may smell space? What can smell emptiness? According to flying people, space smells like fried steak, flavored with burning metal and gunpowder. According to some Russian astronauts, space smells like burnt garbage. American astronaut Donald Roy Pettit at the time said that the best description of the space odor is the adjective “metal”.
Of course, a sniff of space in its natural form and environment is absolutely impossible, therefore, to feel the full range of aromas surrounding the person may only in the atmosphere of the spacecraft, for example, being in a space ship or on Board the space station. But the smells were in fact taken from somewhere?
Experts say that the smell can be called by anyone that can create it inside an enclosed room: paneling, appliances, food, waste, human sweat and skin, as well as various combustion products as the result of force majeure like fire or breakdown of the air conditioning system. In addition, a mouthwatering aroma can be brought straight from outer space, especially if the astronaut happened to work near the engine of the ship. In this case, in the suit remain the retinoid residues emissions, which is very difficult to get rid of.
Get ready to lose your nails
Peeling nails, as it turned out, is a very common problem among astronauts. In a recent study, 22 of the astronaut reported that completely lost their nails. So before you fly, make sure to prepare nail clippers if you are certainly not one of those people who loves to chew on them.
Bulky gloves of your space suit can block the free blood flow to your fingers. This is the death of tissue and the pressure exerted on your nails can cause you lose them. I think talking about pain from the loss of the nails, no need to explain. Believe it or not, but there were cases when the astronauts with no alternative in advance specifically removed the nails, if the plan was a spacewalk.
Will be able to get rid of snoring
Living in space, you will no longer snore at night (unless, of course, before that, was snoring on the Ground). Due to reduced effects of gravity on your respiratory system there is a significant reduction in problems related to sleep disorder. As a result, you will be at least 20 percent less to annoy your neighbors.
Despite the fact that some percentage of gravity will still affect your uvula and soft palate effect, leading to involuntary vibration of these soft tissues will be reduced significantly and you will stop snoring.
Problems with vision
After you spend a lot of time in space, your vision will start to become blurred. The back part of the eyeball can be adjusted by purchasing more flat shape, some changes are expected on your retina. Among the 300 astronauts who visited the space before you, in approximately 23 percent had problems with vision with short flights and about 49 percent — in long-term. If we ever move to other planets, then about half of us will experience the same vision problems. And believe me, it’s only the most minor “problem” that will be expected. We haven’t gotten to the space radiation…
When you are in a state of weightlessness, the liquid produced by your body, begin to pour in the upper part of the body, which leads to increased intracranial pressure, which puts pressure on your optic nerves. Just a little bit. To worry too much, certainly not worth it, in the end, many astronauts have to experience it for many years. But the effect is least unpleasant. By the way, in some cases, there may be so-called visual artifacts (glare, flickering, and “fly”). In General, for many of us long-term space travel can turn into a real rave party.
Problems with the muscles
When you are in space, the only way your movement in space – soaring. You feel like floating. Now you do not need a fulcrum for the movement, this will begin to suffer your lower limbs. The strength of the bones of your lower limbs will begin to decline. The changes and wait for your muscular system. In some cases, even possible atrophy. In addition, there is the possibility that the size of your heart will decrease as the load on it when your finding in terms of microgravitation significantly reduced.
You will be higher
Some of you probably would like to be taller. Well, at least a few inches? Your dream can come true, once you go into space. The vertebrae in microgravity there is a very low pressure, it literally begins to stretch. In the end, your height can increase by about 5 inches. But not to worry. As soon as you return to the earth’s gravity, your back is reduced to its normal size.
Going overboard without a spacesuit, you’re screwed
Let us for a moment imagine that during your space travels you by any chance had to be in outer space without a spacesuit and available nearby spacecraft. What will happen to your body? Due to the lack of pressure in space, about 10 seconds later all of the fluid your body will begin to boil and evaporate. After about 15 seconds in your circulatory system is completely consumed all the oxygen. To live in space in this condition you will be able a maximum of two minutes before the damage to your body will not be critical. However to get through the next two minutes you will be able only in case, if you don’t do breaths. Because once you make it, the air remaining in your lungs will cause them to expand, and then just torn apart. So if you really were in such a situation, the first thing you need to do is exhale. You may live a few seconds longer. But that’s not all.
You also have other “bonuses” in the form of saliva boiling on your tongue, sunburn and Quezon disease. Despite the fact that in space the temperature can be as extremely high or extremely low, your body will not turn to ice. At least as soon as it is shown in fiction movies. First you completely dry under the influence of cosmic radiation. The decomposition can not be afraid, because in the space environment no bacteria. Then, over time and depending on temperature, your body will completely freeze or modificeres.
Cosmic radiation
People aboard the International space station, operates daily radiation, whose level is ten times higher than the normal level on Earth. People on Earth from cosmic radiation and protects the atmosphere of our planet. Without it, among other things, increases the risk of damage to our nervous system that can result in “violation of cognitive functions, reduction of motor function and changes in our behavior”. In addition, space radiation can cause radiation sickness, whose symptoms are manifested as nausea, vomiting, anorexia and constant fatigue.
Unfortunately, science has not yet invented uncompromising protection from exposure to space radiation. With this constant exposure can eventually lead to the development of cancer and other chronic diseases. This is just one of those facts that you want to just accept, if you still want to someday leave this blue ball.
Space euphoria
Some astronauts reported that, during their space missions were in the so-called “sense of insight”, insight, euphoria. For example, NASA astronaut Charles Duke, who once said:
“I was just overwhelmed engulfed me with a feeling that, as I thought, seemed part of God’s omnipresence… I just gasped. It brought tears. It was the deepest tested me feeling in my life.”
Watching the beauty of the Earth with the spacecraft “Apollo 14” astronaut Edgar Mitchell reported visiting the deep sense of calm and euphoria. He spoke about how experiences change his state of consciousness and takes on the meaning of the Universe and every atom in isolation from matter.
Eugene Cernan, another NASA astronaut, described that he encountered a sense of enlightenment as follows:
“It was too amazing to describe it as random. At this point, you feel that besides you, me, him, her, us, there is something that above all else. I say this in a spiritual sense, not religious.”
Rusty Schweickart was feeling “is part of everything and everyone in this world,” and noted that “this metamorphosis of consciousness affects all of your fiber so that you turn into a living bundle of sensations.”
Once in this state, Schweickart described our Earth:
“This tiny, stunning Land. Planet, allowing us to live, giving us all what we have: the food we eat, the water we drink, the air you breathe, the beauty of all this nature. It is so perfectly balanced and organized so we could live here. How is she amazingly beautiful”.
10 things that happen to you and your body in space
Nikolai Khizhnyak