Do astronauts age 10 times faster?

[CFLarsen]

I heard this quip on a Danish TV station this evening: When astronauts are space-travelling, they are aging 10 times faster than when on Earth, partially due to the breakdown in bone tissue.

Is this true? The astronauts going to Mars will age ten times the time it takes? What is that, 18 months = 180 months = 15 years?

 

[Diamond]

I heard this quip on a Danish TV station this evening: When astronauts are space-travelling, they are aging 10 times faster than when on Earth, partially due to the breakdown in bone tissue.

Is this true? The astronauts going to Mars will age ten times the time it takes? What is that, 18 months = 180 months = 15 years?

I've only heard this in the context of the increased radiation damage they receive in space. We are all subject to cosmic radiation (in fact its essential for life) here on planet earth, but in space the dose is a lot higher. Cosmic radiation may be essential for our wellbeing but it also causes damage to DNA and contributes to the aging process.

This is an anecdote. Somebody less lazy can find out stuff on google.

 

[GetAGrip]

Not exactly, bone and muscle tissue are broken down due the absence of gravity.

This book has a chapter on what happens to the body in space if you are interested.

 

[H3LL]

It's a bit of a mixed sentence.

They are not aging faster. The effect of space travel caused deterioration of their body comparable to processes associated with aging.

As I understand it, travelling at such high velocity and moving away from gravitation they will age noticably less (less time will have expired) compared to others left on Earth.

I believe the effects has been measured with atomic clocks (high up and/or moving fast).

 

[Soapy Sam]

I think the effects of calcium and muscle loss , plus radiation, will outweigh any benefits from relativity by a factor of several million, at least at the crawl our spacecraft move.

On the other hand, there are no muggers, suicide bombers or insane taxi drivers up there and only the germs you take with you.

 

[H3LL]

I think the effects of calcium and muscle loss , plus radiation, will outweigh any benefits from relativity by a factor of several million, at least at the crawl our spacecraft move.

Agreed. The difference will be tiny, but still there. I still maintain that it's deterioration of their body comparable to processes associated with aging and not actual aging.

 

[dann]

GetAGrip
New Member
Registered: May 2003
Location: South of sweden

Would that be Bornholm or Sweden?

 

[Ziggurat]

I heard this quip on a Danish TV station this evening: When astronauts are space-travelling, they are aging 10 times faster than when on Earth, partially due to the breakdown in bone tissue.

Is this true? The astronauts going to Mars will age ten times the time it takes? What is that, 18 months = 180 months = 15 years?

It might be true that the bone loss associated with space travel is 10 times that associated with aging. But bone loss is reversible, so such statements don't make a whole lot of sense in the big picture. As for radiation damage, that probably depends quite a bit on factors such as the sheilding of the vehicle they're traveling in, as well as solar flare activity. But we don't actually have enough of a handle on the aging process under normal conditions to make such definitive comparisons.

 

[GetAGrip]

GetAGrip
New Member
Registered: May 2003
Location: South of sweden

Would that be Bornholm or Sweden?

That would be southern sweden, Skåne to be more presice. But as you might know the people skåne doesn't really wanna be part with the rest of sweden (have our own flag and all that)

 

[CFLarsen]

That would be southern sweden, Skåne to be more presice. But as you might know the people skåne doesn't really wanna be part with the rest of sweden (have our own flag and all that)

Ah, Denmark, then. Velkommen tilbage til Moderlandet!