SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has maintained his commitment to sending humans to Mars for many years. His dream of building a city on the Red Planet with his massive Starship rocket has gained even more importance with US President Donald Trump’s warming to the idea of sending astronauts to Mars instead of NASA’s planned missions to the Moon. However, recent scientific research could hinder this grand goal.
According to a new study published in the journal GeoHealth, dust on the surface of Mars could pose a serious threat to human health.
“The biggest danger is the risk to the astronauts’ lungs. Because the dust is so fine, it is likely to remain in the lungs and enter the bloodstream,” said Justin Wang, a medical student at the University of Southern California and co-author of the study, in an interview with CNN.
Wang stated that the silica and iron oxides contained in Martian dust could lead to lung diseases. Wang also noted that space radiation is an additional risk factor, emphasizing that astronauts are at a higher risk of developing diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis. Dust on Mars has caused serious problems even for robotic rovers. In 2021, the InSight lander became inoperable due to dust covering its solar panels. Scientists are highlighting the difficulties of providing immediate response to potential health problems on Mars. “The toxicity of lunar dust was an unexpected health hazard in the Apollo missions. Astronauts sent to Mars will not have the luxury of returning to Earth. Remote medical intervention will also be limited due to communication delays of up to 40 minutes,” it was stated. Researchers emphasize that necessary precautions must be taken for the success of manned missions to Mars. They issue a critical warning for the future of Mars missions, stating, “We must be prepared for potential medical problems on Mars, mitigate risks, and guarantee the safety of astronauts.” Source: patronlardunyasi.com Source: patronlardunyasi.com Source: patronlardunyasi.com Source: patronlardunyasi.com
