It sounds like the best job in the world - stay in bed for two months and do nothing. But 12 women are doing just that, all in the name of space travel research.The European Space Agency, in conjunction with NASA and the Canadian equivalent, is running a 60-day study to discover the effects of weightlessness on female astronauts.

The majority of existing data is about the effects on male bodies as most astronauts are men.

However, with longer trips planned to Mars and an increase in female

crew, more information is needed about how their bodies react to months of space travel.

Now the Women International Space Simulation for Exploration study has put the volunteers in bed with their feet slightly raised above their heads to mimic the effects of a zero-gravity environment.

The women have to eat, sleep, wash and go to the loo in the same position so scientists can monitor the physical and psychological effects on their bodies and brains.

The most common impact of space travel on human bodies is loss of muscle and bone, particularly in the legs and feet. Many astronauts are too weak to walk when they return to Earth.

Once the women have finished the study, they will return to the space clinic at the Rangueil hospital in Toulouse, France for up to three years for check-ups.

The only British woman in the study, Morag, told The Guardian newspaper that her friends thought she was crazy for applying to the job advert.

"When I get out, I imagine I won't be able to walk too well at first," she said. "People say we're guinea pigs, but if we are, we're happy guinea pigs."


http://uk.news.yahoo.com/08112005/140/wome...ks-science.html


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Can this type of research really explain more than the scientists already know?

More to the point, what kind of long-term effects could this have on the women whom take part in this research?

Damn you mean I could get PAID for lying in??

<< calculates back-pay heh next round's on me....

I would go crazy......I can't still still for more than ten minutes at a time....Guess I won't be heading into space anytime soon....

What would they do for entertainment?

In bed? .....nevermind.....

omg . . . hmm . . . just don't understand why someone would do that to themselves.

Ouch, they should expect serious atrophy.

I could so do that job

So why just women? And I'm sorry, this would suck a lot. I can't lay around the house for two days without going nuts.

I wouldn't mind getting paid for doing nothing, but I know my body wouldn't be able to handle that!

But Yelekiah is absolutely right!



I've spent weekends in bed, but this is nutz!!! So, nope, I won't be signing up.

40nrockinon

That's why ;P

You know, I swear I read the article-- twice to keep from asking a stupid question. Ah well...

Thanks, SC.

Hell... if they give me a computer and a tv, I'll more then gladly do it.

They say that the women have to keep their legs up in the air/slightly raised? ...

Imagine a bloke having to do that while answering the call of nature. Ah well, it has to be easier than a woman doing it.


OMG!!! Take those images out of my head!

Until they have to deal with any permanent problems that may arise from doing that to your body.

I don't know about "permanant"...but they will have to undergo intense physical therapy for weeks (if not months) after they're done with it before they'll be able to return to life as normal...I seriously doubt they're getting paid enough that this is going to turn out being worth it for them.

In all honesty, this won't really simulate the effects of space very well...in space, astronauts will be moving about and working throughout the day. They'll be staying alert and occupying themselves...these people are not only going to be using up just about zero energy (and thus probably not being able to sleep), but they're probably going to suffer from all kinds of depression brought about by boredom.

Well apart from the muscle atrophy, this would be the best job because It would take a crane to get me out of the house anyway because I would have gained 500lbs. Bring on the ice cream!!

I was thinking the same about xbox live

Sorry, when I read this topic title; I thought this topic might be a classified...I'll go now..

That would be...intresting
I can't imagone doing that...unless I have HALo or MADDEN

Haha!

O.K. ,on the serious, why not just send a few to the International Space Station for an extended stay? I thought that was the one of the reasons for building it, to study long term exposure to weightlessness? Maybe it's really only up there so that the select few can play with thier Star Wars toys and action figures!

Mr. Lucas, I plugged your movies, you may send the check to......

They couldn't pay me enough money to do that...I was on bed rest for my last month w/both my pregnancies. Drove everyone insane b/c I can't sit still for any length of time.

I wouldn't wanna do something like that either. I couldn't do a job that involves sitting down for 9 hours a day , never mind laying there for months.

All I can say is that I hope they changed the sheets...

You would hope so, especially if they have to pee in an unusual position, lol. Eww!