146

The ISS is 'too clean', and it could be making astronauts sick (www.abc.net.au)

submitted 5 months ago by otter@lemmy.ca to c/space@lemmy.world

41 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Summary from elsewhere

The International Space Station (|SS) has low microbial diversity, which could lead to astronaut health issues, according to a study published in Cell.

Researchers found that the microbial communities resemble those found in sanitized environments like hospitals rather than natural settings.

Co-senior study author Pieter Dorrestein explains that increasing microbial exposure could improve astronaut health during long-term space travel.

The study suggests incorporating natural elements, like soil, into the ISS to enhance microbial diversity and astronaut well-being.

The study in question:

https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(25)00108-4

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[-] Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago

humans simply are not built for space.

Humans aren't built for 0g, and I expect we will never live whole lives like that. But living in space does not require living in 0g.

I'm quite certain that if humans manage to survive and continue to thrive for another 200 years, we will absolutely be living in space. And at that point it will be inevitable that the number of humans living in space will eventually come to dwarf the number living on planets.

[-] surph_ninja@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Gravity isn’t the only issue. Radiation and cosmic rays are a much bigger problem than that. Psychological issues from being in cramped ships for so long. Food production. All sorts of other crap, too.

[-] Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago

Radiation isn't that big a deal. If you have a large enough structure for a colony, or even large enough for 50 people, then you have plenty of mass for radiation shielding. At that scale it's a non-issue.

Psychological issues from being in cramped ships for so long.

Well, only at first... Families don't want to live in cramped ships, so they won't. They'll live in artificial habitats with grass and open spaces. Eventually they'll be large enough to have rivers and mountains.

But even without all that, just ask anyone who's served on a submarine if it's possible to survive in cramped quarters. It's doable.

this post was submitted on 28 Feb 2025

146 points (100.0% liked)

[Dormant] moved to !space@mander.xyz

10722 readers

1 users here now

This community is dormant, please find us at !space@mander.xyz

You can find the original sidebar contents below:

Rules

Be respectful and inclusive.
No harassment, hate speech, or trolling.
Engage in constructive discussions.
Share relevant content.
Follow guidelines and moderators' instructions.
Use appropriate language and tone.
Report violations.
Foster a continuous learning environment.

Picture of the Day

The Busy Center of the Lagoon Nebula

Related Communities

🔭 Science

🚀 Engineering

🌌 Art and Photography