Thinking in Three Dimensions
Huffington Post
By Zoe P. Strassfield
Word Count: 1188
Published April 16 2012
Main Idea
Going to space is much more complicated that it may seem for humans. For example, our bodies are not adapted to live in zero G and therefore when humans are in space they are required to do a 1 hour workout every day so that their body does not deteriorate because it lacks the constant pounding of gravity. Even with these daily workouts people still come back with decreased muscle mass and bones that have gotten smaller because they are not used as much. The person running this seminar the author wrote about talked also about the problems of making controls and switches easy for pilots to use. There is also the concern that humans are only used to living in two dimensions while in space there are three and it is most likely easier at times to simply soar through the air instead of climbing along the walls. To help teach pilots how to live in zero G with three dimensions is to look at the way apes live in their large metal cages and how they do not stay on the ground but travel up and down and all the way around.
Conclusion
Humans have to exercise to remain healthy when they go to remain healthy. Authorities have to limit the amount of switches to make it simpler for pilots to move and control the ship once they are in space. The pilots also need to learn how to move in three dimensions as apes move and become comfortable with a lack of gravity.
It is interesting that the author describes the world we live in as 2D while astronauts living in space live in a 3D world. I can see how this would cause problems for people designing space shuttles that are easy to use for the astronauts who have to adjust to the new way of living with no gravity. I would like to know how the astronauts exercise for that hour a day in space where there is no gravity especially when the article states that astronauts still return to earth with decreased muscle mass due and the reason they must work out for an hour each day is because their body would deteriorated due to the lack of constant impact on the body that occurs when gravity is present.
ReplyDelete-Emma