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Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Can inhaling Moon dust make you sick? New answer will surprise you
You might think lunar dust would be a serious hazard, especially for anyone planning to live or work on the Moon. After all, it's not every day you swap Earth's air for a landscape coated in what looks like fine, grey powder. But recent research from Australia is changing the conversation about just how dangerous Moon dust really is. A team from the University of Technology Sydney set out to answer a question that's been floating around since the Apollo missions: what happens if you inhale Moon dust? Their findings, published in Life Sciences in Space Research, suggest that while lunar dust isn't exactly a breath of fresh air, it's probably less harmful than some of the pollutants we deal with back home. Can humans inhale moon dust? To test this, the scientists created artificial lunar dust particles, mimicking the size and shape of what astronauts might actually breathe in. They then exposed human lung cells to these simulated particles in the lab. The results? Moon dust can certainly irritate your airways, expect some sneezing or coughing if you get a face full of it. But it doesn't seem to cause the kind of long-term damage linked to toxic dusts like silica, which can lead to serious lung diseases such as silicosis. Michaela Smith, a graduate student at UTS and the study's lead author, in a statement, explained that while lunar dust might cause short-term discomfort, it doesn't appear to put astronauts at risk of chronic illnesses. 'Any dust, if you inhale it, you'll sneeze, cough, and have some physical irritation,' Smith said. 'But it's not highly toxic like silica, where you end up with silicosis from being on a construction site for 10 years. It's not going to be something like that.' This is good news for NASA's Artemis missions, which aim to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon. If lunar dust had turned out to be as dangerous as some feared, it would have been a major obstacle for future explorers. Instead, the research suggests that while Moon dust isn't exactly harmless, it's not a dealbreaker for living and working on the lunar surface. Coauthor and UTS scientist Brian Oliver added that the findings help build the safety case for returning humans to the Moon. 'The results contribute to the safety case for returning humans to the Moon,' he said. If you ever found yourself on the Moon and tempted to inhale some dust, would it be a bad idea? According to researchers, you probably wouldn't be seriously harmed, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea. You might experience some irritation, but you're unlikely to face the long-term health problems that come from breathing in toxic dust on Earth. Overall, the findings are reassuring for astronauts and anyone interested in space travel. While Moon dust might not be pleasant to breathe in, it's not as dangerous as people once feared. First Published Date: 30 Jun, 17:36 IST
India Today
18-06-2025
- Health
- India Today
Moon dust less harmful to human lungs than city pollution
Researchers have made a stunning new analysis of lunar dust as countries across the world prepare to send humans to live and work on the at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) has found that lunar dust is less harmful to human lung cells than previously feared. They added that it is significantly less toxic than common Earth-based air latest research comes as the US, China, and Russia prepare to mount major manned missions to the Moon in a bid to colonise Earth's lone natural satellite. The latest study provides reassuring data for the upcoming Artemis missions to the Moon. The study, published in Life Sciences in Space Research, investigated the impact of the most accurate, new-generation lunar dust simulants on human lung cells in the lab. 'Our findings suggest that while lunar dust may cause some immediate irritation to the airways, it does not appear to pose a risk for chronic, long-term diseases like silicosis, which is caused by materials like silica dust,' lead researcher and UTS PhD candidate Michaela B. Smith study found that while the sharp, abrasive lunar dust can act as a physical irritant, it did not cause the severe cellular damage or inflammation seen from the urban Earth dust. 'It's important to distinguish between a physical irritant and a highly toxic substance,' Smith is worth mentioning that during the Apollo lunar missions, when astronauts landed on the Moon, lunar dust was a big health the Apollo missions, the primary route of exposure occurred after extravehicular activity. 'When astronauts re-entered their landing module, fine dust that had clung to their spacesuits became airborne in the confined cabin and was subsequently inhaled, leading to respiratory issues, sneezing, and eye irritation,' said research focused on fine dust particles (2.5 micrometres), which are small enough to bypass the body's natural defences and penetrate deep into the lower airways of the analysis revealed that dust found on Earth had a greater inflammatory response and was more toxic to the cells than the lunar dust the lunar simulants did not trigger significant oxidative stress, a key chemical damage pathway often associated with fine particle the findings reduce a critical risk factor, Nasa is still taking the threat of dust exposure seriously. Must Watch
The Hindu
04-05-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Microgravity increases core body temperature: IIST model
The Voyager 1 spacecraft was 25 billion km away in February, somewhere in the outer edge of the solar system. It's the farthest a human-made spacecraft has gone from the earth. The hope is that in the distant future, a human astronaut will be able to go where Voyager 1 has been — a journey that could take several years of spaceflight. An important factor that determines an astronaut's well-being on such journeys is thermoregulation: their body's capacity to maintain a stable internal temperature. In the unique microgravity environment of space, this process faces significant challenges. Now, researchers at the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram, have published a study reporting that 'microgravity consistently increases core body temperature, with fluid shifts playing a crucial role in thermal balance,' in the words of Shine S.R., a professor of aerospace engineering at IIST and an author of the study. Human bodies respond differently to temperature changes based on age, fitness level, and body fat, among other parameters. In environments with near-zero gravity like space, the human body changes significantly, affecting bones, muscles, the heart, the immune system, metabolism, even individual cells. Some of the resulting complications can be severe, so space agencies and astronauts continuously monitor the spacefarer's body temperature. Scientists using a computer model to evaluate the body's ability to regulate temperature in specific conditions must also account for 'physiological changes observed in space, including blood shifts, metabolic variations, muscle atrophy, and environmental influences'. Shine said his team has developed a 3D computational model of human thermoregulation that 'incorporates these changes to simulate the effects of microgravity on thermoregulation, including blood redistribution, reduced blood volume, changes in metabolism, and alterations in bone and muscle mass'. According to Chithramol M.K., PhD student at IIST and first author of the study, the team's studies were limited by sufficient as well as accessible data on metabolic changes. In situations where data was unavailable, she said they tested how different factors changed their results and used their 'best judgment and standard engineering practices' to assess their impact. The model uses mathematical equations to track how heat moves through the body in three dimensions, and accounts for mechanisms like sweating and shivering, the impact of clothing, heat generated by vital organs, and other factors that have a say on how a body regulates its temperature. Each factor is modeled separately and then combined to understand the overall impact of microgravity on thermoregulation. The team published its findings with the model in Life Sciences in Space Research on March 29. 'Our findings reveal that the redistribution of blood from the lower limbs to the upper body in microgravity environments significantly impacts the body's temperature distribution,' Shine and Chithramol said. Specifically, the researchers reported that while the feet and hands become cooler as the body spends more time in microgravity, the head, abdomen, and the core get warmer. The model also indicated that when astronauts exercise in space, their body temperature rises faster than it does on the earth. Over 2.5 months in microgravity, considering 30% lower sweating and 36% higher metabolism, the core body temperature may increase to around 37.8° C from 36.3° C before flight. If one were exercising in the same conditions, the temperature would be closer to 40° C. The researchers were able to confirm their model was able to predict real outcomes by using it to simulate astronauts' body temperature onboard the USSR's and Russia's erstwhile Mir space station and onboard the International Space Station, then compared its output to official reports. They matched. Most current models that predict how bodies regulate temperature mostly use data from non-Indian populations. Different body types and physiological processes modulate thermoregulation differently; a model specific to one population group may fail to predict specific outcomes when applied to another group. As thermoregulation models indicate how a person responds to temperature changes, they are also used in many everyday situations. For example, clothiers use such models to fine-tune how their products keep people warm or cool. Architects use such models to design buildings to lower heat stress of their occupants. In medicine, especially during heart surgeries, thermoregulation models predict how a patient's body temperature changes, helping both doctors and patients avoid complications. According to the IIST team, these models calculate the universal thermal climate index — a number that indicates how hot or cold it feels outside by considering factors like wind, humidity, and sunlight. Shine said, 'These models are valuable tools for enhancing safety, comfort, and performance in diverse real-world scenarios' in addition to astronaut health and safety in microgravity environments. 'Take our model, for example: while [it] was developed with the human space program in mind, we have also realised its potential in various everyday situations on earth.' Shreejaya Karantha is a freelance science writer.
