NASA Researchers Develop a Technique to Predict Radiation Risk on International Space Station Missions - UNIVERSE

Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Akihiko Hoshide poses for a photo after undergoing a generic blood draw in the European Laboratory/Columbus Orbital Facility (COF). Credits: NASA

Astronauts traveling to the Moon, Mars, and other future deep space destinations will likely make new and amazing discoveries. Undertaking these exploration missions will not be possible without increased risk to crew members from exposure to the space environment. To reduce risks of the hazards of spaceflight and protect astronauts from space radiation, NASA is using the International Space Station to develop capabilities to predict space radiation exposure for future exploration missions.

Published in the journal Nature-Scientific Reports, results from an ISS Medical Monitoring study of International Space Station astronauts demonstrate how the sensitivity of an individual astronaut’s DNA to radiation exposure on Earth can predict their DNA’s response during spaceflight as measured by changes to their chromosomes.

“We wanted to know if it is possible to detect and measure radiation exposure damage in the bodies of astronauts, and if there were differences based on age, sex, and other factors that could be measured before they go into space,” said senior scientist Honglu Wu from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “We hope to use these measurements to help develop and compare methods of protecting astronauts from radiation.”

Space radiation originates from three primary sources: particles trapped in the Earth’s magnetic field, particles shot into space during solar flares, and galactic cosmic rays, which originate outside our solar system. Exposure to radiation can increase the risk of developing cancer, alterations to the central nervous system, cardiovascular disease, and other adverse health effects. Life on Earth is protected from most space radiation by the planet’s atmosphere and magnetic field.

On missions in low-Earth orbit, astronauts are also protected from some of the space radiation exposure by a combination of Earth’s magnetic field, spacecraft shielding, and limiting the astronaut’s time in space. NASA’s Human Research Program seeks to conduct research in the field of medical countermeasures such as pharmaceuticals and early disease detection technology to help mitigate the consequences of space radiation exposure. During exploration missions beyond Earth’s orbit, it may not be possible to provide the same level of protection from shielding or limit mission exposure time.

Space radiation is made up of protons and all the elements on the periodic table. It enters the human body at energies approaching the speed of light and can damage DNA. Credits: NASA

As we prepare for these longer missions and a permanent human presence in space, NASA’s Human Research Program seeks to conduct research in the field of medical countermeasures such as pharmaceuticals and early disease detection technology to help mitigate the consequences of space radiation exposure. A key part of that is figuring out ways to estimate the sensitivity of astronauts to radiation prior to flight and continually assess long-term health for the remainder of their lifetimes.

As people age and live their lives, their chromosomes accumulate alterations. These changes can result from normal bodily processes or due to exposure to environmental factors. Chromosomes contain the DNA building blocks of our bodies and altering them can increase the risk of developing cancer and other diseases. During the ISS Medical Monitoring experiment, researchers studied blood samples from 43 space station crew members to measure their levels of chromosome alterations from radiation and other factors before and after a mission. These alterations to chromosomes are observed in a very small percentage of individual cells within a person’s blood.

The study involved three key measurements. Before astronauts flew to the station, researchers examined their blood cells to assess their baseline chromosomal status against which any future alterations could be measured. Next, these blood samples were intentionally exposed to gamma-ray radiation on Earth to measure how easily their cells accumulated chromosomal changes. This measurement established each astronaut’s inherent sensitivity to radiation. Finally, after the astronauts returned from their missions, the study team again took blood samples from the individuals to assess their level of chromosomal alterations.

Blood samples taken by former NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy before aboard the International Space Station. Samples like these were taken before and after astronaut’s missions to space to measure radiation damage of astronauts in space. Credits: NASA

 

Wu and retired NASA statistician Alan Feiveson then compared each astronaut’s levels of post-flight alterations to their corresponding background levels established before launching into space. In addition, the investigators checked to see if any of this increase could also be explained by age, sex, or individual sensitivity.

“It was an intriguing challenge to develop a statistical method for analyzing all of the blood samples to see if an astronaut’s pre-flight levels of radiosensitivity actually plays a role in predicting their spaceflight-induced chromosome alterations,” said Feiveson.

After analyzing all of the data, the researchers found that, similar to people on Earth:

• Older crew members had higher levels of baseline chromosomal irregularities, and
• The blood cells of older astronauts were more sensitive to developing chromosomal alterations compared to younger crew members.

These results indicated that:

• Crew members with higher inherent sensitivity, as determined by gamma radiation on the ground, were more likely to see higher levels of changes to their chromosomes in their post-flight blood samples compared to those with lower sensitivity.
• Individuals who showed higher baseline chromosomal alterations in their pre-flight blood samples tended to also be more sensitive to developing additional chromosomal changes compared to astronauts with low baseline levels.

“The findings suggest that if older astronauts indeed have higher sensitivities to radiation, they might be at higher risk of chromosome alterations,” said Wu. “While experiencing chromosome alterations does not automatically mean someone will develop cancer, it does raise the question of whether they are at increased risk for it.”

Younger astronauts are thought to be more susceptible than older astronauts to the long-term health consequences resulting from space radiation exposure. This is partly because younger astronauts have more lifespan remaining and could live long enough to develop a cancer from the radiation exposure; it usually takes five to 20 years or more after the radiation exposure for cancer to occur.

“When thinking about going to Mars, we typically have thought it might be better to send older astronauts because of their experience and lower risk of developing cancer in their lifetime,” said Wu. “Now, based on this new research, we know that we should study the age effects of radiation exposure more.”

While people protect their eyes from the sun’s radiation during a solar eclipse, NASA’s Human Research Program (HRP) is working to protect the whole human body from radiation in space. Space radiation is dangerous and one of the primary health risks for astronauts. Credits: NASA

 

For more information on how NASA is addressing the hazard of space radiation, visit the Human Research Program’s space radiation information webpage.

For daily updates, follow @ISS_Research, Space Station Research and Technology News or our Facebook. For opportunities to see the space station pass over your town, check out Spot the Station.

Charlie Plain International Space Station Program Research Office Johnson Space Center

Source: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-researchers-develop-a-technique-to-predict-radiation-risk-on-international-space

Drought Makes its Home on the Range - NASA

As Tracy Schohr goes about her day, water is always on her mind. She’s thinking of it as she rides an all-terrain vehicle around the pasture, looks up hay prices and weather forecasts, and collects data on grazing and invasive weeds for a scientific study.

Schohr is a rancher and farmer in Gridley, California, where her family has raised beef cattle and grown rice for six generations. She also aids in scientific research to study drought and other agricultural issues with the University of California Cooperative Extension.

Drought—a year with a below average water supply—is a natural part of the climate cycle, but as Earth’s atmosphere continues to warm due to climate change, droughts are becoming more frequent, severe and pervasive. The past 20 years have been some of the driest conditions in the American west on record. Right now, the western United States—including the part of California home to Schohr’s ranch—is experiencing extreme or exceptional drought that will likely have long-term impacts on the land and the people who depend on it.  

This year not enough precipitation, also known as a meteorological drought, threatened to kill the grass on Schohr’s ranch. Keeping vegetation alive is one of the main parts of her job. “We’re cattle producers, but we’re really grass farmers,” she remarked in June. “If you mismanage your grass then your cattle won’t survive.”

Cattle grazing on April 16, 2021. This year, the annual grasslands in Schohr’s part of California turned brown a month earlier than usual, shortening the grazing season. Credits: Courtesy of Tracy Schohr

Signs of Drought from Space

“NASA is well-positioned to assess droughts because we have Earth observing satellites that provide frequent observations,” said John Bolten, associate program manager of water resources for the NASA Applied Sciences Program. We’re not just interested in our backyard; we’re interested in what’s happening regionally and globally.”

Drought is a complicated problem that requires innovative research and lots of data. From the vantage point of space, Earth-observing satellites from NASA and its partners collect data on various signs of drought, such as lack of precipitation (GPM) and snowpack (Landsat, Terra and Aqua), low water levels in reservoirs and streams (Jason-3) or dry soils (SMAP) and depleted groundwater (GRACE-FO). Then scientists at NASA and other institutions use this data to see historical trends, understand the current state of drought, and make projections for the future.

Global Precipitation Management (GPM), a joint satellite mission between NASA and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), provides global precipitation data every three hours. Used in conjunction with other weather data and forecasting efforts, GPM data helps quantify when, where, and how much it rains or snows around the world. The NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) global observatory measures the amount of liquid water in the top 5 cm of the soil using a microwave-based radar. The effects of low soil moisture on vegetation is apparent in satellite imagery from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument on NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites, and from the joint NASA and United States Geological Survey (USGS) Landsat satellites. When used together these observations give a comprehensive view of water availability and water use, as well as actual soil moisture conditions in the soil - where farmers grow food. The Jason-3 satellite – a four-agency international partnership of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NASA, the French Space Agency CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales), and EUMETSAT (the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites) – provides information about the height of rivers and reservoirs, allowing scientists to estimate how much water they contain. The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On (GRACE-FO) mission, a partnership between NASA and the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), estimates groundwater using a pair of satellites. The satellites fly in tandem about 137 miles apart and use microwaves to measure the distance between them. When one satellite passes over an area with stronger gravity – such as a spot with lots of groundwater and thus more mass – the satellite in the lead is pulled further ahead. By analyzing the distance between the satellites, scientists can track where water is on our planet. Credits: NASA / Jesse Kirsch 

NASA’s upcoming Earth System Observatory, together with other planned NASA missions that are part of NASA’s “program of record” will continue many these observations in the future to provide key information that will guide decision-makers confronting challenges posed by climate change, such as drought.

Much of this data is incorporated into drought maps and global groundwater maps produced and distributed by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“What we’re able to do is bring in all of this data and use the best attributes of those tools,” said Brian Fuchs, a climatologist at the National Drought Mitigation Center. Frequent satellite observations allow Fuchs and his colleagues to track rapidly changing drought conditions. The satellites’ view from space also provides routine, country-wide and world-wide snapshots of drought that can be accessed by local water managers.

A map of drought conditions in the U.S. as of August 17, 2021. Much of the west is in exceptional or extreme drought, shown in red and dark red respectively.

Credits: U.S. Drought Monitor, provided by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln / USDA / NOAA

“We’re not experts in every part of the country, but we have people on the ground who know their backyards better than we do,” said Fuchs.

Schohr is one of those people. She uses the U.S. Drought Monitor maps, which provide a weekly assessment of drought conditions, to check the state of drought around the country and look at trends to help her make better decisions for the future. She is also one of the many ranchers across the country who sends updates and photos to the scientists at Drought Monitor to help refine their maps.

“That boots on the ground validation really helps us get a good local perspective on what the challenges are,” said Fuchs.

During a drought, nutritional supplements and access to reliable water are essential. Here a cow and her calf eat out of a protein supplement tub on California annual grasslands. Credits: Courtesy of Tracy Schohr

A Snapshot of Drought on the Ranch

Every year in early November, Schohr and her family load their cows into cattle trailers and drive them to annual grasslands about 35 miles away. While there, the herd rotates through several pastures, searching for grass and water. This protects the land from overgrazing, ensuring that the cows have enough to eat and that healthy grasses will regrow in time for the next. “We have to have grass to grow grass,” Schohr explains. “And what’s best for the land is also what’s best for our cattle operation.”

With little rain last fall, the Schohrs opted to keep the cattle at their home ranch where the family could easily check on them. Schohr brought hay out to the pasture and checked the water levels in the naturally occurring streams and ponds every few days. She also gave the cows tubs of nutritional supplements, which she says is like a combination multivitamin and protein shake that’s sweetened with molasses.

The Schohrs eventually moved their herd to the annual grasslands in mid-December. The cattle grazed in several pastures last winter, including a purple needle grass restoration site that is part of a research project to restore native species. The cows munch on invasive and non-native grasses, weeding out the competition for the native California purple needle grass that will grow in the spring.

As the cows mow down grass, Schohr is also checking that they have access to enough water. Cows need to drink between eight and 15 gallons of water per day. The annual grasslands don’t have much natural drinking water—especially this year, as reservoirs are depleted and streamflow is abnormally low, conditions signifying a hydrological drought, which California is currently experiencing. In winter, Schohr relies on solar-powered wells to keep her cattle hydrated. In the spring, she moves the cows to a pasture with seasonal ponds that are home to many California plant species and provide the cows with natural drinking water.

Later in the season, the cows move to a field filled with oak trees. The trees provide shade to keep the cattle cool as spring turns to summer, and the cattle mow down the grass so there’s less kindling in the form of dry grass come fire season.

The herd will usually stay on these annual grasslands until mid-June, but this year Schohr brought the cattle home in mid-May. California was not only dealing with low reservoirs and streams, but also low soil moisture, called agricultural drought, that causes plants—including that all important grass—to die. As green vegetation started to turn into swaths of brown, Schohr irrigated the pasture on her home ranch on April 1 to keep the grass alive so that the cows would have food to eat when they returned.

However, the natural food supply will only last so long. The current outlook suggests California will be in a severe drought at least through the fall, so Schohr is selling calves and stocking her barn with hay, corn and soybean stock in preparation.

Generations of Change

Tracy’s partner, Ryan Imbach (left), takes their son Colton (right) to the corral to check on the herd. The grass in the pasture where the Schohrs keep their cows during the winter was drying up, prompting the Schohr family to decide which cows to sell and which to move back to their home ranch. Credits: Courtesy of Tracy Schohr 

The challenges of drought that Schohr faces today are the same ones her grandfather dealt with. However, she says it’s easier to make better decisions and prepare for the future with the scientific data that’s available from sources like the U.S. Drought Monitor.

“We know the world we’re working in, whereas before—for my grandpa—he just knew the community he worked in,” Schohr said.

The Schohr family had to make a lot of tough decisions during the 1980s farm crisis, when farmers’ debt soared due to an economic recession, and the intense California drought in the 1990s. At one point, the family sold all the cows to instead focus on growing rice. After that, Schohr recalls her grandfather was always the first one there when a new calf was born or a cow was sick.

Her grandfather has since passed away, but Schohr remembers the lessons he taught her. She recalls riding on an ATV with him to check the water level in the troughs during a drought, listening to him talk about water management and seeing the sense of peace that came over him from watching the cattle grazing. “He loved the cows just like I do,” she said. “He believed that if he took care of the land, it would take care of him too.”

Humans’ Fingerprint on the Future of Drought

Climate science tells us that the world will be warmer and droughts are likely to be more frequent in the future. In addition, climate science models provide a better sense of what the future may hold, helping farmers, ranchers and water managers to make better decisions in preparation. However, it’s impossible to pinpoint exactly when and where droughts will occur in the future or predict how severe their impacts will be. But we do know that in certain regions, the fingerprint of human influence on drought is already visible.

For the first time, scientists at NASA GISS have linked human activities with patterns of drought around the world. Getting clues from tree ring atlases, historical rain and temperature measurements, and modern satellite-based soil moisture measurements, the researchers found the data "fingerprint" showing that greenhouse gases were influencing drought risk as far back as the early 1900's. Credits: NASA Goddard/ LK Ward

This video is free to download at NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio.

Human activities emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that warm the planet. A warmer planet is a thirstier planet, because warmer air drives more evaporation of water vapor from the surface,” explains Kate Marvel, a research scientist at NASA GISS. As the climate changes on Earth, some places will become drier – and thus more prone to drought – while others become wetter and thus more susceptible to flooding.

If we continue emitting greenhouse gases, this trend is likely to continue. NASA’s climate models and others show that – under high emission scenarios – droughts could become much worse across the U.S. and globally. Drought-prone areas could enter persistent megadroughts, precipitation patterns and snowmelt could change drastically, the risk of dry soils could increase in many areas and some places could see more frequent and severe wildfires.

“The worst-case scenarios don’t have to come true. It’s not a prediction,” Marvel said. To prevent those worst-case scenarios from happening, greenhouse gas emissions will need to be reduced, she said. “That’s the main determinant of drought risk in the future.”

The signs of drought are visible from space, from satellite images of depleted reservoirs to drought maps using soil moisture and other satellite data. These indicators are important for ranchers trying to care for their cattle and the land.

Credits: NASA/Jesse Kirsch/Drought Map from the U.S. Drought Monitor/Image courtesy of Tracy Schohr

By Sofie Bates NASA's Earth Science News Team

Source: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/esnt/2021/drought-makes-its-home-on-the-range

Short Film - Something Crunchy (2017) - Thriller

Storyline:

As she writes an article paying respect to a hit and run victim, Robyn finds some bizarre coincidences that lead her to believe there must be more to the case. 

Director: Fred Cavender

Writer: Fred Cavender

Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7889928/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

You Wouldn't Believe It! | Unbelievable Fails Compilation - FailArmy

 

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Star Formation in the Constellation of Gemini, the Twins - UNIVERSE

Nestled among the vast clouds of star-forming regions like this one lie potential clues about the formation of our own solar system. 

This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope features AFGL 5180, a beautiful stellar nursery located in the constellation of Gemini (the Twins). 

At the center of the image, a massive star is forming and blasting cavities through the clouds with a pair of powerful jets, extending to the top right and bottom left of the image. Light from this star is mostly escaping and reaching us by illuminating these cavities, like a lighthouse beacon piercing the storm clouds.

Stars are born in dusty environments and although this dust makes for spectacular images, it can prevent astronomers from seeing stars embedded in it. Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) instrument is designed to capture detailed images in both visible and infrared light, meaning that the young stars hidden in vast star-forming regions like AFGL 5180 can be seen much more clearly. 

Image Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, J. C. Tan (Chalmers University & University of Virginia), R. Fedriani (Chalmers University); Acknowledgment: Judy Schmidt
Text Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)

Source: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/star-formation-in-the-constellation-of-gemini-the-twins

Scientists reverse age-related memory loss in mice

Scientists at Cambridge and Leeds have successfully reversed age-related memory loss in mice and say their discovery could lead to the development of treatments to prevent memory loss in people as they age.

In a study published in Molecular Psychiatry, the team show that changes in the extracellular matrix of the brain — ‘scaffolding’ around nerve cells — lead to loss of memory with ageing, but that it is possible to reverse these using genetic treatments.

Recent evidence has emerged of the role of perineuronal nets (PNNs) in neuroplasticity — the ability of the brain to learn and adapt — and to make memories. PNNs are cartilage-like structures that mostly surround inhibitory neurons in the brain. Their main function is to control the level of plasticity in the brain. They appear at around five years old in humans, and turn off the period of enhanced plasticity during which the connections in the brain are optimised. Then, plasticity is partially turned off, making the brain more efficient but less plastic.

PNNs contain compounds known as chondroitin sulphates. Some of these, such as chondroitin 4-sulphate, inhibit the action of the networks, inhibiting neuroplasticity; others, such as chondroitin 6-sulphate, promote neuroplasticity. As we age, the balance of these compounds changes, and as levels of chondroitin 6-sulphate decrease, so our ability to learn and form new memories changes, leading to age-related memory decline.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge and University of Leeds investigated whether manipulating the chondroitin sulphate composition of the PNNs might restore neuroplasticity and alleviate age-related memory deficits.

To do this, the team looked at 20-month old mice — considered very old — and using a suite of tests showed that the mice exhibited deficits in their memory compared to six-month old mice.

For example, one test involved seeing whether mice recognised an object. The mouse was placed at the start of a Y-shaped maze and left to explore two identical objects at the end of the two arms. After a short while, the mouse was once again placed in the maze, but this time one arm contained a new object, while the other contained a copy of the repeated object. The researchers measured the amount of the time the mouse spent exploring each object to see whether it had remembered the object from the previous task. The older mice were much less likely to remember the object.

The team treated the ageing mice using a ‘viral vector’, a virus capable of reconstituting the amount of 6-sulphate chondroitin sulphates to the PNNs and found that this completely restored memory in the older mice, to a level similar to that seen in the younger mice.

Dr Jessica Kwok from the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Leeds said: “We saw remarkable results when we treated the ageing mice with this treatment. The memory and ability to learn were restored to levels they would not have seen since they were much younger.”

To explore the role of chondroitin 6-sulphate in memory loss, the researchers bred mice that had been genetically-manipulated such that they were only able to produce low levels of the compound to mimic the changes of ageing. Even at 11 weeks, these mice showed signs of premature memory loss. However, increasing levels of chondroitin 6-sulphate using the viral vector restored their memory and plasticity to levels similar to healthy mice.

Professor James Fawcett from the John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair at the University of Cambridge said: “What is exciting about this is that although our study was only in mice, the same mechanism should operate in humans — the molecules and structures in the human brain are the same as those in rodents. This suggests that it may be possible to prevent humans from developing memory loss in old age.”

The team have already identified a potential drug, licensed for human use, that can be taken by mouth and inhibits the formation of PNNs. When this compound is given to mice and rats it can restore memory in ageing and also improves recovery in spinal cord injury. The researchers are investigating whether it might help alleviate memory loss in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease.

The approach taken by Professor Fawcett’s team — using viral vectors to deliver the treatment — is increasingly being used to treat human neurological conditions. A second team at the Centre recently published research showing their use for repairing damage caused by glaucoma and dementia.

Source: https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/scientists-reverse-age-related-memory-loss-in-mice
The original story is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Journal article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-021-01208-9

Source: Scientists reverse age-related memory loss in mice – Scents of Science (myfusimotors.com)