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The Space, that extensive place that we continue to explore and of which we still have a lot of knowledge to know, that place that fills the dreams of many, who want to fulfill their dream of visiting it and is that humanity has made its personal challenge understand and explore every corner of space. But should we really be so excited to go into space? Should not we stop to think a little that maybe it's not such a good idea to try so tirelessly to travel into space?
The Space is a mysterious and wonderful place in that there is no doubt, but it is also a place where dangers abound and are that the universe is full of things that could kill us in moments. However, that would be very pessimistic, because after all, what is the probability of running into a pulsar or a black hole?
However, even when encountering those phenomena that would exterminate us in microseconds is very remote, there are still other phenomena in space that in the long and short term are degenerating the lives of those who have achieved their goal of visiting space.
That's why with today's post I would like to explore some of those consequences that no one talks about when traveling to space, and if many will say that the risk is worth it but still it is important to know the small letters before signing the contract something that will drastically change our lives.
Progressive degeneration
As I have been saying, traveling to space represents a great achievement for humanity, but it also represents a great risk because with this trip the astronauts carry a large number of effects that progressively affect their bodies. For example, contrary to what would happen as I explained in my last post where we theorize with an Earth affected by a stronger gravity, in the space the gravity is smaller this means that the amount of work done by the body it decreases, since with a reduced severity it is not necessary so much effort to perform many of the activities of the astronauts.
In short, while the astronauts are in the international space station, their muscles will progressively lose mobility due to lack of activity, as well as a systematic loss of mass. In conclusion, if astronauts don't perform a series of physical activities daily their bodies will lose mobility and strength which implies a very big change.
It should be noted that linked to this loss of mass in the muscles is the huge decrease in the amount of calcium present in the bones, which implies that the entire anatomical system of astronauts undergoes a great reduction in terms of strength.
But it may not be all bad news because with the loss of mass in the muscles and the reduction of calcium in the bones, astronauts can stretch out in space, that is, the longer they spend on the international space station the more likely they are to increase his height.
Weakened organs
After having made it clear that the anatomical consequences of spending so much time in space, let's move on to the following, and as I said at the beginning, space affects us in many ways, interfering with our entire body, so our organs were not going to be saved from these effects.
In the space our organs undergo severe changes, for example, our heart increases its size which implies that it will be more prone to fail, in addition to making it work more slowly and therefore lead to our heart rate decreases tremendously. In fact, the problem does not end there and that these changes tend to cause future heart conditions related to the changes that the heart has suffered.
Another organ that will be affected are the kidneys who will have to work differently as a result of the decrease in calcium in the bones of astronauts, with an anatomy that experiences loss of calcium, the kidneys will have to increase the work they do and filter liquids more quickly to prevent them from affecting the chemical composition of the body.
Effects of radiation
One of the most obvious consequences of being in space is that astronauts are more exposed to the constant radiation of the sun, and even if the international space station is built so that the radiation does not affect its crew members so directly, the radiation from the sun experienced in the international space station is greater than what they can experience on earth. Thus astronauts are more likely to feel the negative shocks caused by the sun's rays.
In fact, the radiation that astronauts experience can become so dangerous that they can undergo changes in their DNA as a result of the damage caused by exposure to radiation that affects their cells, which can lead them to get some type of cancer in the future.
But not all the consequences directly affect the astronauts, and that in the space the medicines incredibly decrease their effectiveness all due to the environment in which they are. The constant exposure to radiation causes the medications to lose the factors that cause them to act correctly on the astronauts' body.
Forced to masturbate
If you ask an astronaut perhaps they will say no, but absolutely all astronauts are aware that if they do not masturbate they will be prone to get infections in the prostate and urinary tract.
There have been several cases where astronauts have contracted severe infections due to lack of ejaculation, which is why it is almost "forced" that they must masturbate as the most effective method to prevent bacteria from accumulating that can cause them severe infections.
A few more words
Traveling to space is one of the most predominant dreams in humans, in fact many children form their lives thinking that one day they might be able to travel to space, and currently not only government agencies are focusing their efforts on going more and more away since there are currently many private companies that are doing everything possible to take human beings into space.
However, as you have seen, not everything is rosy, since there are many negative effects that astronauts experience in space. Perhaps those effects don't act immediately on those who travel to space but without a doubt are consequences that will eventually make the quality of life of astronauts decrease.
Even when there are many disadvantages of going to space, personally I think it is an experience that totally changes the lives of those who manage to achieve it, that is why there is no consequence that prevents us from continuing to risk visiting it.