Researchers found mortal danger for moon dust astronauts | Express

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The European Space Agency (ESA) is conducting a study to reveal the mystery of the toxicity of lunar dust.

According to the website of the agency, after the return of Apollo astronauts on Earth, the dust and their eyes were torn apart, writes DT.

NASA astronaut Harrison Smith called the phenomenon "moon hay fairy", during the Apollo 17 mission, the 12 people who came to the moon were observed, some sneezing, breathing from the dust, and someone reacted a few days later. "We do not know how dangerous this dust is, all that comes down to evaluating the degree of associated risk," said one of the researchers Kim Prisk

The dust of the moon contains silicates – a material which is often found in the volcanic celestial bodies activity The miners of the earth suffer from pulmonary burns and scars due to the inhalation of silicates. On the moon, he drank so abrasively that he destroyed the layers on the boots of the astronaut, and also destroyed the vacuum sealed containers with specimens on Apollo.

This dust is fine as a powder and sharp as a glass. The low gravity of the moon allows small particles to hang longer on the surface, making it deeper into the lungs.

"Particles are 50 times smaller than human hair and can stay in the lungs for months. The longer they stay, the greater the risk of toxic effects, "says Kim. The exact damage caused by the inhalation of these dusts is unknown, but research shows that they can destroy the cells of the lungs and brain.

On Earth, small particles become smooth due to erosion by water and wind. However, the monthly dust is strong and thorny. In addition, there is no atmosphere on the moon – and it is constantly bombarded by solar radiation which, in turn, electrostatically charges the ground. This charge can be so strong that the dust rises above the lunar surface, increasing the risk that it gets into the device and, therefore, into the lungs.

To test the equipment and behavior of lunar dust, the ESA extracted in a volcanic region in Germany.