Astronauts’ hearts, more spherical in space. How is that possible – VIDEO
Being an astronaut may seem like the most fabulous job in the world, but in reality it turns out to be much more difficult than you would initially think. This is because being an astronaut means much more than experimenting zero gravity or admiring extraterrestrial landscapes.
Life as an astronaut in space missions is not easy at all, as time spent in space affects their body more than we can imagine. According to a NASA study, due to the amount of time spent in space, astronaut hearts become more spherical.
Specialists from the American College of Cardiology have an explanation for this: the muscular mass is lost when not used. In the case of astronauts, the heart does not work as hard in zero gravity, which can lead to a loss in muscle mass.
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The research was possible after 12 astronauts were taught to do heart scans using an ultrasound machine. They managed to offer information regarding the shape of the myocardium before, during and after the mission was completed.
The study showed that in space, astronauts’ hearts became 9,4% more spherical, which indicates that muscles might not be working as efficiently as they should.
The good news is that their hearts returned to their normal shape once the astronauts came back form their mission, but it is unclear yet what are the effects of long-term space travel.
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