Illustration of human blood cells in space showing signs of ageing.
Going to space could speed up biological ageing, NASA study finds | AI News Digest
A NASA-supported study reveals that human blood cells sent to space exhibit signs of accelerated biological ageing. Researchers tracked changes in stem cells during four SpaceX missions to the ISS, finding that these cells lost their ability to produce healthy new cells and showed genetic damage. The study highlights the stressors of space, such as microgravity and cosmic radiation, which can accelerate molecular ageing. However, some damage was reversible once the cells returned to Earth. The findings emphasize the need for protective measures for astronauts on long missions and could inform our understanding of human ageing and diseases on Earth.
