Ever wondered how astronauts keep in shape while floating in space? 🛰️ The Shenzhou-18 crew aboard the China Space Station are giving us a stellar example! Halfway through their six-month mission, these taikonauts (that's what we call Chinese astronauts 😉) are tackling the challenges of weightlessness head-on.
Living in zero gravity might sound like fun, but it comes with its own set of problems. Prolonged exposure can lead to something called \"space adaptation syndrome,\" and one of the biggest issues is bone loss. Without Earth's gravity, our bones don't have to work as hard, which can weaken them over time.
But fear not! Chinese researchers have developed an awesome bone loss countermeasure device. Utilizing the principle of bone fluid flow vibration (sounds fancy, right?), this gadget stimulates the fluid in bones through vibrations even in weightlessness. This triggers interactions between osteoblasts and osteoclasts (the cells that build and break down bone), effectively keeping the taikonauts' bones strong and healthy. 💪🦴
It's super cool to see how science and technology are teaming up to keep our space explorers in tip-top shape. Who knows, maybe one day we'll all be using similar tech for our own health! 🌌
Reference(s):
China Space Station: How do Shenzhou-18 taikonauts stay healthy?
cgtn.com
