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Scientists are looking for women who have to stay in bed for 60 days to help them understand how weightlessness affects the human body. As a reward for their participation in the study, they will pay 16,500 euros, or about 18,522 dollars.
When astronauts are in space, weightlessness caused by microgravity changes their bodies. The reduction of physical stress in the space causes their muscles and their bones to decompose and the bodily fluids to move towards their head, according to the German Aerospace Center, mandated by NASA and the European Space Agency to conduct this study.
By simulating the effects of weightlessness with bed rest, scientists hope to develop methods to counteract the effects of weightlessness, so that astronauts do not have to spend most of their time days on the space station.
Researchers have already created a "short-arm human centrifuge" that generates artificial gravity and corrects the distribution of body fluids. They hope to test it every day on two-thirds of the study participants.
"Crewed space flight will continue to play an important role in the future to conduct microgravity experiments, but we must make it as safe as possible for astronauts," said Hansjörg Dittus, board member. for space research and technology at the German aerospace. Center.
"This bed rest study … offers space researchers from all over Europe and the United States the opportunity to work together and jointly acquire as much scientific knowledge as possible." on human physiology. "
Participants will do everything while lying down
All activities, including eating, showering and going to the bathroom, must be done in a reclining position.
Each participant will have a private room and will stay in a bed inclined at 6 ° with the head down.
A team of nutritionists will organize the meals so that participants do not gain weight and do not have all the nutrients they need. However, the German Aerospace Center says on its website that meals are not "very healthy" and that there will sometimes be pancakes or other treats.
The study is composed of two towers. The first group of 24 test participants – 12 men and 12 women – started on Tuesday. It is not yet known how many participants will be needed for the next cycle, which will take place at the Institute of Aerospace Medicine at the German Aerospace Center in Cologne, Germany, from September to December 2019.
Scientists are looking for healthy women ages 24 to 55 who do not smoke to participate in the study, according to the study's website. Participants must be able to speak German.
In 2017, NASA conducted a similar bed rest study in which 11 people spent 30 days in bed.
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