Do astronauts bodies age faster in space ?

[Ove]

astronaut Suni Williams at 38 and now 58

Edited July 1 by Ove

[zep73]

I can't see how it could. The DNA in our bodies is already in a weightless state, because it's suspended in liquid. I think the astronaut in the pictures just lost weight and is marked by a long physically stessful experience.

[Ell]

Does whisky age faster in space?

[Grim Reaper 6]

1 hour ago, Ove said:

astronaut Suni Williams at 38 and now 58

There is 20 years between those two photographs I don’t see your point. She must be in dam good health both physically, emotionally and mentally or she would not be going back into space at 58 years old otherwise!

JIMHO

[Ell]

Sge does not look 58. She looks 78 or older.

[Grim Reaper 6]

5 minutes ago, Ell said:

Sge does not look 58. She looks 78 or older.

The signs of aging are a genetic anomaly nothing more nothing less.

[Ove]

1 hour ago, Ell said:

She does not look 58. She looks 78 or older.

Yes she does

[Ove]

1 hour ago, Grim Reaper 6 said:

There is 20 years between those two photographs I don’t see your point. She must be in dam good health both physically, emotionally and mentally or she would not be going back into space at 58 years old otherwise!

JIMHO

it looked strange to me

[Grim Reaper 6]

6 hours ago, Ove said:

it looked strange to me

I think she just has bad genetics and didn't age well, but I see your point my friend!!

[Eldorado]

"Scientists have recently observed for the first time that, on an epigenetic level, astronauts age more slowly during long-term simulated space travel than they would have if their feet had been planted on Planet Earth."

University of California

"Astronauts age slower in space compared to people on Earth."

BBC Sky at Night magazine

[Waspie_Dwarf]

6 hours ago, Ove said:

it looked strange to me

That is an extremely subjective statement. To base an idea, that astronauts age faster in space, on a personal interpretation of a few of photographs of just one out of the more than 600 that have gone to space doesn't really make much any sense.

You don't seem to have taken into account the circumstances of the photographs, the lighting conditions, lenses used, filters used, etc to produce the photographs.

The first picture you use look like it is an official NASA portrait photograph, so it will have been taken using a studio set up, professional lighting etc in a relaxed atmosphere. Portrait photographs are used using, "soft" light sources in order to make the subject look their best.

The second image you have used is taken in the suit up room before she boards a test of flight of a brand new spacecraft. It was almost certainly taken using a flash on the camera which will produce far harsher shadows than the portrait set up, emphasising on wrinkles to a much higher degree. It was also taken during a period of much higher stress.

The third picture you have used is taken outside, in the sunlight, before Suni and Barry Wilmore before they board the van to take them to the launch pad. Once again sunlight is a harsher light source. Looking at the image it is difficult to see shadows and it appears that the two astronauts may have the sunlight shining, at least partially, in their faces. This tends to cause a slight squint and once again leads to a less flattering picture.

You have based the entire concept of an ageing body purely on the ageing of the face, This is obviously complete nonsense. To determine how her body has aged would require a full medical examination, something as an astronaut she will receive regularly. Prolonged microgravity does have some effects on the human body, most of which are rapidly reversed once the astronaut returns to Earth I haven't yet seen any reports that premature ageing is one of the side effects of spaceflight.

Another thing that you have completely failed to take into account is that you have no idea of her family background. What did other members of her family look lie at a similar age. She may, quite possibly, look younger than her parents did at the same age.

Last but no least there is no control sample, in other words you have no idea how Suni would have looked if she had never been to space.

To put it simply, there is absolutely no way that any kind of conclusion can be drawn simply by looking at dissimilar photographs taken two decades apart.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

31 minutes ago, Eldorado said:

"Astronauts age slower in space compared to people on Earth."

BBC Sky at Night magazine

This article is not really relevant as it about relativistic effects of travelling at high speeds, which during an astronaut's entire career will only amount to a few minutes of difference.

The photograph of the Kelly twins is relevant however as it is the only case were we do have a control sample. Both Scott and Mark Kelly were NASA astronauts and they are identical twins. On his four missions Mark spent a total of just over 54 days in orbit. Scott, on the other hand, has spent 520 days in orbit. His final mission was a 340 day long flight which took place after Mark had retired (that's only 1 week less than Suni has spent in orbit in her entire career, including her current mission). If space travel made your body age more quickly there should be significant differences in appearance between Mark and Scott. Apart from Scott having grown a moustache there are none.

[Ove]

1 hour ago, Waspie_Dwarf said:

.......You have based the entire concept of an ageing body purely on the ageing of the face, This is obviously complete nonsense................

not quite, her thumbs up hand in the second picture is as old as the face

but never mind it was just a question

[Waspie_Dwarf]

24 minutes ago, Ove said:

not quite, her thumbs up hand in the second picture is as old as the face

The hand that is out of focus because the photographer has used a wide aperture to get a tight focus on Suni's face you mean?