Traveling to Mars could speed up the aging process and destroy any hope of reaching the Red Planet

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Scientists fear that traveling to Mars could speed up the aging process — making it dangerous to send humans to the Red Planet.

Several space agencies, including NASA, have embarked on plans to put humans on Mars, with SpaceX planning to launch its first manned flights as early as 2026.

However, scientists at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic hope to prevent such flights from inducing a deadly aging process known as cell aging, and in February they will begin the first-ever study of the phenomena experienced by astronauts.

The team will take blood and urine samples from four members of the first all-civilian crew to travel to the International Space Station (ISS), to see if they can detect early signs of aging.

The International Space Station is located inside the protective magnetic bubble known as the Van Allen belt, which protects Earth from radiation and the crew will be there for only 10 days.

However, travelers to Mars would not have this protection, and would be subject to the conditions for months or years. Previous studies found that astronauts who made trips to the Moon were five times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than those who went to low orbit.

Dr. James Kirkland, an expert in cell aging at Mayo, said, “This flight will give us an idea of ​​whether routine spaceflights, without going beyond the Van Allen belt, are related to the progression of cells.

If we see aging even under these circumstances, we’ll definitely want to do some work in preparation for a longer mission. Something will have to be resolved before or longer before interplanetary flights are truly possible.”

“zombie cells”

As humans age, the body’s cells increasingly enter a state of permanent hibernation known as senescence. Neither alive nor dead, these “zombie cells” prevent the body from replacing non-working cells but they are not eliminated either.

Instead, they can inject chemicals that increase inflammation into the body, increasing the risk of disease. In young people, senescent cells are important, as they gather around the site of injuries as a signal to the immune system that there is damage that needs to be repaired.

Without it, wounds heal more slowly. In those younger years, the zombie cells are then shed, but as people get older, the immune system loses the ability to get rid of them.

“You find aging in conditions where cells are under stress, and they get deformed,” Dr. Kirkland added.

“Zero gravity produces changes in the shape of the cell, and the high acceleration force upon launch of the rocket can also contribute to the cellular aging of DNA.

Then there is radiation. The ISS crew will be inside the Van Allen belt, but the real concern is what would happen if there was a mission to Mars, and if there was a solar flare, because then you’re dealing with atomic radiation.

We have found in preliminary studies that very low doses of atomic radiation can prompt a cell to age with much lower levels of X-rays or gamma rays.

“And with atomic radiation, it can go straight through the spacecraft: it’s hard to stop. So if there’s a mission to Mars, that could be a really big problem.

“I’m a doctor, not an astronomer, so my view is biased, but I’d say the health problem is really bad, and I’m very worried after what I saw.”

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