Nov. 10, 2008 -- European scientists said they had selected a shortlist of eight men Monday willing to take part in a 105-day isolation experiment to further knowledge about the stress of a manned trip to Mars. Six of the eight candidates will be chosen to live, eat, sleep and work inside a sealed laboratory in Moscow that will simulate a Martian mission, the European Space Agency (ESA) said. Their stay, starting in March, is a precursor to a longer study later in 2009 in which another six-member crew will experience 520 days together. The extreme experiments are aimed at seeing how long-term confinement acts on mood, morale, hormone regulation and the effectiveness of dietary supplements. Related Content: Discovery Space for IM Interviews, Blogs, Videos and More Discovery News Blog: Free Space Discovery Space: A One-Way Ticket to the Red Planet The final eight candidates for the 105-day test are all male, aged between 28 and 39, and hail from Denmark, Sweden, Germany (2), France (3) and Belgium, ESA said in a press release. They were put through their paces at the Central Clinical Hospital of the Russian Academy of Sciences, where doctors carried out extensive medical tests and had them screened by a neurologist, a dentist, a psychologist and an ophthalmologist. The project is a joint venture between ESA's Directorate of Human Spaceflight and the Russian Institute for Biomedical Problems (IBMP). ESA and NASA have separately sketched dates around three decades from now for a historic manned flight to Mars. The distance between Earth and Mars varies between 34 million miles and more than 250 million miles, which means that a round trip to the Red Planet would take at least 18 months. The health of the crew – psychological as well as physical -- is considered as daunting a challenge as mustering the financial resources and technical means for the trip. More NewsMouse Cloned From Long-Frozen CellResearchers create a mouse from a long-frozen cell. Will the mammoth be next?'Bubble' Could Protect AstronautsScientists say a "bubble" around a Mars-bound spaceship could protect astronauts.Big Reduction of Snowmobiles in Yellowstone ProposedA new plan would cut snowmobile use by 40 percent in Yellowstone.Microbes: Fuel of the Future?A reddish South American microbe is literally breathing fuel, say scientists.DNA Links Remains to Steve FossetDNA tests on two bones found in California confirm they are those of Steve Fossett.Women Carry More Bacteria Than MenSome bacteria prefer women, suggests a new study. But why?Ancient 'Water Monster' Facing ExtinctionA foot-long salamander that was a key part of Aztec legend is threatened by extinction.Grand Canyon's Youth ConfirmedThe Grand Canyon is millions of years younger than previously thought, argue geologists.My Take: E-Voting Not User FriendlyOpinion: Electronic voting machines don't always capture the intent of voters.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.At 40, Brain and Body SlowThe part of the brain in charge of motion starts a gradual slide in middle age.Spiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates. |
advertisement
Download This Widget at Bottom!
|
