Latest news with #MichaelaSmith
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
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists Investigate What Happens If You Snort Moon Dust
Wondering whether snorting Moon dust will kill you? Don't worry: science is on it. A recent study conducted by a team of Australian researchers and published in the journal Life Sciences in Space Research found that lunar dust is probably way less dangerous than space science previously feared — and, actually, might be less dangerous for humans than Earthborne air pollution. (Or, if you will: Earth dust.) For the study, the scientists focused on fine dust particles, or specks of dust that are tiny enough to tunnel far into the lungs. Using state-of-the-art simulations of lunar dust and testing those fabrications on human lungs, researchers determined that, like any dust, the lunar stuff can be irritating, but it doesn't put astronauts at risk of long-term oxidative stress or inflammation akin to what we might see from toxic air pollutants here on Earth. "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," Michaela Smith, a graduate student at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and the study's lead author, said in a statement. The research has been billed as a relief for the astronauts and researchers embarking — maybe? — on NASA's Artemis missions, which seek to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon. Which, of course, is already a difficult assignment, given that the Moon isn't naturally hospitable for human life (with the no-oxygen thing and everything.) If Moon dust — which is, uh, basically the whole lunar surface — were indeed toxic, that would be a seriously tricky hurdle for scientists to climb. "The results," study coauthor and UTS scientist Brian Oliver said in a statement, "contribute to the safety case for returning humans to the Moon." As for the question of whether actually snorting Moon dust Jordan Belfort-style would be a sound idea, the researchers say you probably could. But while it's unlikely you'd experience long-term illness as a result, you should be prepared for discomfort. "Any dust, if you inhale it, you'll sneeze, cough, and have some physical irritation," Smith's statement continued. "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." As the adage goes: just because you can, doesn't mean you should. More on the Moon: Scientists Investigating Small Orange Objects Coating Surface of the Moon
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Moon dust is less toxic than urban air pollution, scientists discover
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Moon dust may not be as harmful to humans as had been thought, with a new experiment showing that the typical air pollution on a busy street is more toxic than inhaling lunar dust. "The results contribute to the safety case for returning humans to the moon," said Brian Oliver, who is a Distinguished Professor of Life Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney, in a statement. Concerns about the toxicity of moon dust arose during the Apollo missions. Lunar dust is statically charged, allowing it to adhere to astronauts' space suits. After the astronauts clambered back inside their lunar lander following a moonwalk, the dust became airborne in the cabin and was inhaled, leading to the astronauts suffering respiratory problems that faded after about 24 hours. Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt described it as like having "lunar hay fever," with stinging eyes, sneezing and a sore throat. Moreover, back on Earth, the Apollo flight surgeon reported similar problems after unpacking the used spacesuits. In their case, they reported that the symptoms grew worse after every mission, suggesting that repeated exposure to lunar dust exacerbates its toxicity. Nevertheless, the anecdotal evidence is not a quantitative measure of the potential harm that lunar dust can do to humans. So Michaela Smith, who is a PhD student at the University of Technology Sydney's Respiratory Research Group, set about finding out. Smith performed experiments using two lunar simulants – replicas of real lunar dust, since samples of real lunar dust are limited – that are analogous to moon dust found in the moon's dark volcanic lowland plains and its more ancient highlands, respectively. The simulant particles are smaller than 2.5 microns (millionths of a meter), small enough to be inhaled and then trapped in the lower airways of the lungs. To represent lungs, Smith introduced the simulant dust to two different types of lung cell, namely bronchial and alveolar cells, representing the upper and lower regions of the lungs, respectively. Smith then conducted the same experiment but with airborne particulate matter sampled from a busy Sydney street, and compared the effects of lunar dust with that of air pollution. Smith found that while the irregular shape and roughness of the lunar dust still irritates the lungs, its effects are significantly less than that of air pollution. "It's important to distinguish between a physical irritant and a highly toxic substance," said Smith. "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 [as on a construction site, for example]." This is good news for NASA, who are still taking the health challenges of moon dust seriously as they plan the Artemis 3 mission that will see humans return to the surface of the moon for the first time since 1972. RELATED STORIES: — NASA proves its electric moon dust shield works on the lunar surface — Astronauts could mix moon dust with old satellites to make fuel — Moon dust may help astronauts power sustainable lunar cities. Here's how. For example, one strategy is to have the astronaut's spacesuits affixed to the exterior of the lunar lander, and the astronauts enter and leave the suits through an airlock within the lander without bringing the moon dust stuck to the suits inside the cabin. However, thanks to Smith's work, the problem of moon dust is perhaps no longer quite as serious as had been anticipated. Smith's findings have been published in Life Sciences in Space Research.
