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Fifty years ago, cosmic rays may have caused Apollo astronauts to see lights (2023)

Posted by skybrian
Tags: usa, nasa, exploration.space, history, 1970s, astronauts, radiation.cosmic, apollo, author.helen thompson, source.sciencenews
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/cosmic-rays-apollo-astronauts-light-flashes

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Authors
Helen Thompson, Maria Temming, Tawanda Karombo, Carolyn Gramling
Published
May 12 2023
Word count
28 words

1 comment

  1. skybrian
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    From the article:

    From the article:

    The mechanism behind the flashes described by Apollo astronauts remains a mystery. Perhaps the particles, which are components of c­osmic rays, emit radiation as they pass through part of the eye. Or perhaps they trick nerve cells to create the illusion of light. However the flashes happen, they are still an issue for astronauts. In 2006, about 80 percent of NASA and European Space Agency astronauts reported experiencing the flashes. How the phenomenon impacts astronaut health after months or years in deep space is unclear. As NASA plans crewed missions to Mars and the moon, scientists are devising new ways to protect astronauts from radiation (SN: 7/4/20 & 7/18/20, p. 18), such as portable magnetic shields that can deflect cosmic rays.

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