Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
Radiation Aging - The Deadly Years In Space
NASA recently released an article on the effects of radiation during far journeys in space. This problem does not really arise for astronauts in close orbit around the Earth, due to the protection offered by Earth's strong magnetic field.
Cosmic rays can damage an astronaut's telomeres - tiny molecular strands that cap the ends of DNA. Telomeres shorten each time a cell divides. Eventually, the telomeres are too short, and the cell cannot successfully divide - a state called "replicative senescence." The loss of telomeres is thus associated with aging; they also appear to be a natural defence against out-of-control cell growth, as occurs in cancer.
(Telomeres cap the ends of human chomosomes)
One theory of aging holds that the lack of new, whole cells causes the usual signs of aging; wrinkled skin, weakened immune system and so forth. If, as is planned, manned ships are sent to Mars, this problem will need to be solved.
(Dr. McCoy - a really old country doctor)
It turns out that science fiction writers have been thinking about this problem. In the The Deadly Years, an episode that aired on 08-Dec-1967, the Enterprise is sent to investigate a problem on the experimental colony Gamma Hydra 4. Mysteriously, virtually all of the colonists have died prematurely - of highly accelerated aging. The only real anomaly that Spock can find is that the planet recently passed through the tail of a unique comet, which showers the planet with low energy radiation. Not surprisingly, Spock and McCoy find an antidote before the end of the episode - adrenalin.
Few of Dr. McCoy's "medical miracles" have been adopted by NASA (go figure!). However, Richard Wilkins, director of NASA's Center for Applied Radiation Research at Prairie View A & M University in Texas has conducted a study into liquid shield approaches. As he puts it
"In most [mission] scenarios, you need liquid hydrogen for fuel and you need water. And these are all considered materials that are particularly good for cosmic ray shielding."
Using fuel or water as shielding from radiation was originally suggested by science fiction writer John W. Campbell in 1936 (read more about NASA's New Radiation Shielding First Proposed By John W. Campbell).
Read what NASA says about radiation and aging; Trek fans will enjoy a blast from the past in Eric's excruciatingly detailed plot summary for The Deadly Years. Thanks to Winchell Chung for the tip and the sf reference.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 3/23/2006)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 4 )
Related News Stories - (" Medical ")
Health Kiosk Has No Human Doctor
'The electronic body analyzer had been developed...' - Michael Crichton, 1969.
NEO Brain Computer Interface (BCI)
'The remains of the lace took on the rough shape of a brain...' - Iain Banks, 2010.
MIT Computerized Bionic Leg Is Part Of The User
'The leg was to function, in a way, as a servo-mechanism operated by Larry’s brain, through the mediation of the electronic brain in the leg.' - Charles Recour, 1949.
Bone-Building Drug Evenity Approved
'Compounds devised by the biochemists for the rapid building of bone...' - Edmond Hamilton, 1932.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Health Kiosk Has No Human Doctor
'The electronic body analyzer had been developed...'
Meta's Horizon Studio's Unique Avatars From Text Prompts
'Looks like she has bought the Avatar Construction Set and put together her own...'
VaMEx Biomimetic Mars Robot Inspired By Skink
'Across the ground something small and metallic came, flashing in the dull sunlight of midday.'
NEO Brain Computer Interface (BCI)
'The remains of the lace took on the rough shape of a brain...'
Did Frank Herbert Predict E-Ink Displays?
'A broken circle with arrows pointing to a right-hand flow appeared in the chalf.'
Monolith One Giant Industrial Metal 3D-printer
'The object seemed melted together like wax — nothing was distinguishable.'
'Mooncrete' Lunar Regolith Concrete (LRC)
'And here they began to build...'
China's 'Magpie Drone' Ornithopter
'Midges have many capabilities. To the untrained eye, they look like sparrows.'
MAI-Voice-2 Microsoft Text-To-Speech
'I made disks of my own voice to the number of five hundred very carefully chosen words.'
Tumblin' Tumbleweed Rovers To Eplore Mars
'His sensors out and working, and the whirring of the tape that sucked up sight and sound and shape and smell and form...'
Tentacled Robot Captures Space Debris
Preventing annoying space debris build-up.
Prufrock-MB2 Ready In Nashville
'It sounds to me as though you had invented a kind of metal earthworm.'
DIY Robotic Content Farming
'The chief wheeled to the master machine and pressed a button.'
Reflect Orbital Sunlight On Demand
'I don't have to tell you about the seven two-mile-diameter orbital mirrors that circulate around the satellite, making it habitable.'
The Amazing Lightfoot Electric Scooter With Solar Assist
'The steel tortoise gave MacKinnon a feeling of Crusoe- like independence.'
Fully Electric, Fully Automated Vegetable‑growing Agribots
'...then back to their work, though little enough it was on these automatic cultivators.'
