SCIENCE IN THE NEWS DAILY

In Space, a Cluster of Health Dangers

from the Philadelphia Inquirer

Space shuttle commander Christopher Ferguson and his crew took a small but crucial step for space travel in the last two weeks, enlarging the International Space Station so it can house six astronauts instead of three.

But a bigger leap is needed for humans to survive weightlessness, exotic forms of space radiation, and the loss of the earthly rhythms of light and darkness, scientists say.

In orbit about 200 miles from the ground, the space station pushes mankind just a baby step into the cosmos. Even going that far can put astronauts at an elevated risk of cataracts, bone loss, and possibly heart problems.