Concerns regarding kidney health for astronauts embarking on long-duration missions to Mars
Recent research has unveiled significant concerns regarding kidney health for astronauts embarking on long-duration missions to Mars. A study led by Dr. Keith Siew and a team from the UCL Department of Renal Medicine analyzed data from 20 research cohorts and numerous microgravity simulations, revealing that the structure and function of kidneys are altered in space due to galactic cosmic radiation. Key findings indicate that kidney tubules shrink in microgravity, affecting salt and calcium balance and increasing the risk of kidney stones. Unlike previous assumptions that stones primarily result from bone loss, this research emphasizes direct changes in kidney function as a critical factor. While astronauts in Low Earth orbit benefit from some shielding from Earth's magnetic field, those on extended missions to Mars would encounter much greater exposure to radiation, which could lead to irreversible kidney damage. Dr....