Long distance space travel leaves you short, fat and ugly, claim scientists

Long distance space travel leaves you short, fat and ugly, claim scientists
2009 06 10

Making long space journeys, like those envisaged in the future, will not be good for your looks or figure, claim scientists who believe they will leave astronauts looking short, fat and bald.

They believe living permanently in space for many years, perhaps even for many generations, adversely affects human's looks because they will not require any effort to move or keep warm.

Making long space journeys, like those envisaged in the future, will not be good for your looks or figure, claim scientists who believe they will leave astronauts looking short, fat and bald. Photo: NASA

Near zero gravity would leave humans stunted and cause their bones and muscles to be underdeveloped, said astrobiologist Dr Lewis Dartnell.
They will also have bloated faces and lose their hair because fluid would pool in their skulls and there would be no need for insulation from the cold.

Dr Dartnell, from University College London, admitted that by the time they reach their destination they may not pass an audition for Star Trek.
"With little effort required to move around in microgravity and an environment that is never too hot or cold, future spacemen and women are likely to become pretty chubby," he said.

"Without gravity, fluid would float up to pool in the skull, which would cause the head to look permanently swollen out of proportion.

"Also, with no need for hair to insulate the head or eyelashes to flick dust from their eyes, future humans may become completely hairless."

Speaking at the Cheltenham Science Festival, Dr Dartnell also addressed the question of what aliens on other worlds might look like.

He said: "Certain features of the human body, such as camera-like eyes, head, and legs would evolve time and time again on different worlds, and so many features of alien animals are likely to be instantly recognisable. "However other features of life, such as the number of limbs animals develop, or the shape and colour of trees, would be much more variable between worlds."

The Kepler space telescope was launched earlier this year and is expected to find dozens of Earthlike planets orbiting distant stars.
Some of these could host complex life. But even the nearer stars are so far away that travelling to them could take generations.

By the time the first humans arrive on an extrasolar planet, any aliens they meet are likely to find their appearance a shock.

Source: Telegraph.co.uk

Share |

Latest News from our Front Page

"Stockholm’s not burning"
2013 05 25
Video here: ctvnews.com With international media swooping on the Stockholm riots from every angle, The Local’s Oliver Gee explains why Stockholm’s not burning, and how the story has been blown out of proportion. Day five into the Stockholm riots and the world, as viewed from our Stockholm office, has gone crazy. The UK and the US have issued travel warnings for ...

Britain’s MI5 Connection to Woolwich Slasher Michael Adebolajo
2013 05 25
What a difference a day makes… People are still in a state of shock and disbelief following a recent attack branded as a ‘terrorist” event by the UK media establishment and echoed in political corridors. It seemed so random… Aside form appearing random, the brutal Woolwich attack this past week was one of the most bizarre and strangest of its kind yet, ...

Somali reporter: Swedish journalists are more dangerous than al-Shabab
2013 05 25
This article is translated by google and slightly improved for clarification. This short story (the tip of the iceberg) is a great example of the media climate in Sweden and the lack of proper Journalism. An extremely dangerous one sided view is constantly presented by the government subsidized media. Swedish journalists and their lies are more dangerous than the cruel Somali terrorist ...

Germany’s Merkel shrugs aside new book about communist-era past, says she never hid anything
2013 05 25
Chancellor Angela Merkel has shrugged aside a book that suggests she may have been closer to East Germany’s communist system than previously thought, saying she’s never hidden anything. The 58-year-old Merkel grew up in East Germany and entered politics as communism crumbled in 1989. It’s long been known that, like many, she joined the communist youth organization. She has said she ...

‘Lack of public debate on immigration caused Stockholm riots’
2013 05 25
Mishra Mrutyuanjai raises some points that we discussed with Mikael Jalving about in our Red Ice Radio program, in January earlier this year. Sweden should put its political correctness aside and start an open debate on immigration as it’s the only way to avoid a repeat of the Stockholm riots, Mishra Mrutyuanjai, Swedish Democrats movement member, told RT. Stockholm is reeling as ...

More News »