Space

Researching Cancer in Space

Of persons born in the UK in 1961, roughly one in two will acquire cancer during their lifetime. Cancer rates are anticipated to climb by 2% to reach 506,000 new cases a year in the UK between now and 2040. However, you will be glad to read that cancer survival rates have doubled in the previous 50 years. Meaning that 50% of those diagnosed today will live for ten years or more. Getting humans into space is a significant feat of engineering with spaceflight having a toll on the human body. This can make astronauts feel briefly sick and can potentially have lasting consequences on the body. There is also the hazard of radiation from outer space and the Sun. The Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere help shield us from this here on the ground, including Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun, particularly UV-B rays, which may inflict serious burns on our