Thirteen Things You Didn’t Know About Living in Space
(#38)
1. Just about every astronaut experiences some space sickness.
2. Because fluids shift upward in zero G, living in space means sinus congestion, kidney stones, constipation, and a shrunken heart.
3. Less pressure on the spine in zero G will make you two inches taller.
4. No humans have yet to be conceived in space.
5. You might suffer from insomnia living in space: 16 sunrises a day throws a major wrench into astronauts’ circadian rhythms.
6. If exposed to the vacuum of space without a suit on, don’t hold your breath: Sudden decompression would cause your lungs to rupture.
7. Breast implants might explode in a vacuum.
8. Today’s astronauts can spice up their meals with liquid salt and pepper since sprinkled grains would float away, tickling noses and clogging vents.
9. “The shuttle commode requires that astronauts align themselves precisely in the dead center of the seat. A mock-up of the shuttle toilet, complete with built-in camera, is used to train them how to position themselves.”
10. Landing back on Earth is called “the second birth” because returning astronauts report extreme difficulty moving their arms and legs right after touchdown.
11. “Eighteen people have died on space missions, but never in space—always on the way up or the way down.”
12. “Early astronauts relied on aluminum tubes of semiliquid mush, food cubes, and dehydrated meals.”
13. “A 2001 study showed that astronauts who snored on Earth snoozed silently in space.”
Source: Discovery Magazine
Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
Very interesting Thursday 13. It’s my first time to your blog and that’s quite an impressive avatar on your sidebar!
Comment by Joy @ Joy Of Desserts — August 20, 2008 @ 11:39 pm
Very interesting TT!
Comment by Nicholas — August 21, 2008 @ 1:46 am
Wow that was truly educating and enligtening. What a great TT. Numbers 2 and 11 kind of changed my mind though about ever wanting to live in space. I think I will do just fine down here on earth! LOL!
You can visit my TT here.
Comment by Bernie — August 21, 2008 @ 1:48 am
Interesting list, thanks for sharing the information!
Happy TT and greets
Julia
Comment by Julia — August 21, 2008 @ 3:35 am
I learned something today. Thank you. I think my husband should go into space - then I’d get a good night’s sleep!
Happy TT!
Comment by Denise — August 21, 2008 @ 1:14 pm
You know, those are things I never would have thought of!
Happy TT!
Comment by Lisa — August 21, 2008 @ 1:43 pm
Would #13 be because of gravity closing the airways here on earth, but they would be left open in space?
Great list. I’ll remember not to hold my breath!
Happy T13!
Comment by Peter Plum — August 21, 2008 @ 2:05 pm
Peter– I assumed it was due to the lack of gravity, though it would have to counteract the sinus congestion. I’m not sure what factors are in play there.
Thanks for the comments!
Comment by Lisa — August 21, 2008 @ 2:43 pm
[...] Lisa Spindler runs down Thirteen Things you Didn’t Know about Living in Space. [...]
Pingback by The Great Geek Manual » Geek Media Round-Up: August 22, 2008 — August 22, 2008 @ 5:56 pm