(MUSIC)
JOAN CARTAN-HANSEN,
HOST: HANGING OUT IN THE
MICRO-GRAVITY OF SPACE IS PART
OF AN ASTRONAUT'S JOB, BUT IT'S
TOUGH ON THE HUMAN BODY.
WITHOUT GRAVITY'S PULL,
ASTRONAUTS BONES AND MUSCLES
WEAKEN.
ASTRONAUTS' SENSE OF UP AND DOWN
GET CONFUSED SO THEY CAN GET
DIZZY OR NAUSEOUS EVEN
DISORIENTED.
DOCTORS HAVE EVEN FOUND THAT THE
PRESSURE INSIDE AN ASTRONAUT'S
EYES CHANGES IN SPACE.
SO WHAT CAN AN ASTRONAUT DO?
SPACE CRAFT DESIGNERS ON THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION HAVE
WRITING ON THE WALLS POINTING IN
THE SAME DIRECTION TO HELP
ASTRONAUTS FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY
ARE.
AND ASTRONAUTS EXERCISE HOURS
EACH DAY TO WORK THEIR BONES AND
MUSCLES.
EVEN WITH THAT, IT CAN TAKE
MONTHS OF REHABILITATION FOR AN
ASTRONAUT TO RECOVER AFTER ONLY
SIX MONTHS IN SPACE.
SO, WEIGHTLESSNESS MAY LOOK LIKE
FUN...BUT THE HUMAN BODY NEEDS
GRAVITY TO STAY HEALTHY.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
GRAVITY, CHECK OUT THE SCIENCE
TREK WEBSITE.
YOU'LL FIND IT AT
IDAHOPTV.ORG/SCIENCE TREK