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NASA Offers $18,500 To People Willing To Stay In Bed For 60 Days
We all know that space travel is not only expensive, but also dangerous. If humans are to send people to Mars, scientists must know and understand the effects that living in space poses to human body. It is known that the so-called “puffy-head, bird-legs” syndrome exists, which manifests itself when, due to zero gravity conditions, blood flow is no longer pulled to the legs and as a result, the astronaut’s head is filled with fluid. Therefore, NASA and ESA teamed up to conduct a bed rest study to see how the body adapts to weightlessness. The space agencies announced that they are looking for two dozen volunteers to spend 60 days laying down to help scientists understand how space travel will affect astronauts. The participants will be paid 16,500 euros (more than $18,500) and will have to travel to Cologne, Germany.
More info: NASA
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24 selected participants will travel to the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) to stay in bed for two months
Image credits: ESA
However there are some requirements for the volunteers, that must be met – they must be between the age of 24 and 55, healthy and speak German. The research will begin in September and will take up a total of 89 days, as before their time in bed, the participants will be given five days of familiarization. Upon completion of the 60 days bed-bound study, they will undergo 14 days of rehabilitation, the same as the real astronauts do.
Out of 89 days of the experiment, 60 of them will have to be spent in bed
Image credits: ESA
During the bed rest period, they will be required to to everything while lying down – from eating to going to the bathroom. Participants will have the ability to watch television, will be provided with reading material and other activities, while the organizers of the study are strongly encouraging people to take up online courses and learn new skills. During their rest, the volunteers will lay down with their legs slightly higher than heads in order to reduce blood flow to the extremities. This will impose muscle deterioration, akin to that experienced by real astronauts in space.
Volunteers will be split into two groups
Image credits: ESA
One half will visit a centrifuge in a laboratory from time to time. The centrifuge acts as an artificial gravity chamber, as its spinning rig simulates gravity, pushing blood toward the participants’ lower extremities. This will help scientists see whether the simulator was in any way helpful of minimizing the effects of lying down in one position for a prolonged period of time.
During the research, the newly introduced DLR Short-Arm Centrifuge will be used
Image credits: NASA Analog Missions
The new Short-Arm Centrifuge simulate and study the effects of artificial gravity on the human body. However, not only astronauts and space travelers will benefit from the research, but people experiencing terrestrial health issues, as well. By using the human centrifugal tool, the study will bring more insights on osteoporosis, muscular atrophy, and cardiovascular diseases.
Throughout the study, the participants will be under scrutiny of scientists
Image credits: NASA Analog Missions
The bed rest experiment is aimed to stimulate the effects of microgravity on human’s body. When a prolonged period of time is spent in space, the muscles deteriorate, bones become less dense and blood flows differently throughout the body. To combat these side effects, regular exercise is used, but scientists hope that artificial gravity can prove to be even more beneficial.
A team of medical, psychotherapeutic, scientific professionals and a nutritionist will be on site
Image credits: NASA Analog Missions
The nutritionist will plan the meals of the participants. Food will be prepared with no additives and artificial sweeteners, while at the same time balanced enough to ensure sufficient nutritional value. However, to satisfy the sweet tooth, desserts will also be provided, but only occasionally.
Some people loved the idea, while the others were not as enthusiastic
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What do you think ?
Cesi Baca 6 years ago
18,500 isn’t enough money to wreck your body like that. They said they would get 14 days of rehibilitaion, but it’s hard to believe that would be enough.
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Adam Hart-Dyke 6 years ago (edited)
I spent a month in bed recovering from a broken leg, occasionally struggling into a wheelchair, but mostly lying in bed. It was awful and I lost a LOT of muscle mass. They'd have to pay extremely well to even consider putting myself through that hell again - I'm talking millions.
Άρης Παπαδόπουλος 6 years ago
To those that think that it is easy to stay in bed for that long, let me point out the pain that will come with that, the muscle loss, the headaches from the out of tune blood pressure, the ulcers and necrosis of the skin (bedsores). Just google "bedsores" (warning - disturbing images). Most people who believe it's easy would quit after realising how hard it is to simply urinate while laying in bed. And the money is too little for a 60-day torture.
DP von Icecream 6 years ago
My last major hospital visit left met staying in the hospital approx. 5 weeks. Lost 20 kilo´s of muscle mass, took me a couple of years to get back on my target weight. To all you lazy ignoramuses ;-) Just go ahead & sign up, you have no idea the damage this will bring to your already unfit bodies.
HoffLensMetalHedLovesAnimalsUK 6 years ago (edited)
I did a flu camp in London a few years back, i was in a sealed room for 11 days, i got paid about £3200, you are in there with a dvd player, dvd library, ps4, games, you can take your own stuff of course but no leaving the room and they bring you 4 meals a day and come and stick large implements up your nose to collect snot a few times a day, it was sooooo tedious and dull and i wouldn't recommended it to anyone.
comboplush 6 years ago
Hmmm..eleven days of working in silence sounds actually awesome right now. Would probably feel a bit lonely after a while - were you allowed to skype or have any other kind of contact with friends and family? But then, no sunlight for 11 days? Wow..
Load More Replies... Lisa 6 years ago
I was unable to leave my bed for months after a spinal cord injury. Trust me: the money they're offering isn't worth it. When you're bedridden everything stops working ... digestion, circulation, filtration and evacuation, even hormones get messed up ... everything. The human body needs to move.
Lauren Caswell 6 years ago
Oh gosh yes! Bedsores and blood clots aside, it really does do strange things to you! And as your muscles are wasting away it really hurts......this isn't something to be taken lightly!
Load More Replies...
Vonny Browne 6 years ago
My legs are skinny enough without doing that to myself :/ Besides the health risks involved, 18.500 isn't a lot of money to do what they are asking you to do. Not to mention the 'bored out of your head' factor.
tuzdayschild 6 years ago
I can't stay in bed 8 hours without getting a headache and feeling horrible.
RitaGG 6 years ago
Why would someone down vote you? I can't sleep for more than 6.5 hours and my back kills me if I'm in bed for more than 7 hours. (and I have gone through several expensive mattresses). The ones leaving moronic replies are trolling children. Ignore them.
Load More Replies...
Cesi Baca 6 years ago
18,500 isn’t enough money to wreck your body like that. They said they would get 14 days of rehibilitaion, but it’s hard to believe that would be enough.
Load More Replies... Adam Hart-Dyke 6 years ago (edited)
I spent a month in bed recovering from a broken leg, occasionally struggling into a wheelchair, but mostly lying in bed. It was awful and I lost a LOT of muscle mass. They'd have to pay extremely well to even consider putting myself through that hell again - I'm talking millions.
Άρης Παπαδόπουλος 6 years ago
To those that think that it is easy to stay in bed for that long, let me point out the pain that will come with that, the muscle loss, the headaches from the out of tune blood pressure, the ulcers and necrosis of the skin (bedsores). Just google "bedsores" (warning - disturbing images). Most people who believe it's easy would quit after realising how hard it is to simply urinate while laying in bed. And the money is too little for a 60-day torture.
DP von Icecream 6 years ago
My last major hospital visit left met staying in the hospital approx. 5 weeks. Lost 20 kilo´s of muscle mass, took me a couple of years to get back on my target weight. To all you lazy ignoramuses ;-) Just go ahead & sign up, you have no idea the damage this will bring to your already unfit bodies.
HoffLensMetalHedLovesAnimalsUK 6 years ago (edited)
I did a flu camp in London a few years back, i was in a sealed room for 11 days, i got paid about £3200, you are in there with a dvd player, dvd library, ps4, games, you can take your own stuff of course but no leaving the room and they bring you 4 meals a day and come and stick large implements up your nose to collect snot a few times a day, it was sooooo tedious and dull and i wouldn't recommended it to anyone.
comboplush 6 years ago
Hmmm..eleven days of working in silence sounds actually awesome right now. Would probably feel a bit lonely after a while - were you allowed to skype or have any other kind of contact with friends and family? But then, no sunlight for 11 days? Wow..
Load More Replies... Lisa 6 years ago
I was unable to leave my bed for months after a spinal cord injury. Trust me: the money they're offering isn't worth it. When you're bedridden everything stops working ... digestion, circulation, filtration and evacuation, even hormones get messed up ... everything. The human body needs to move.
Lauren Caswell 6 years ago
Oh gosh yes! Bedsores and blood clots aside, it really does do strange things to you! And as your muscles are wasting away it really hurts......this isn't something to be taken lightly!
Load More Replies... Vonny Browne 6 years ago
My legs are skinny enough without doing that to myself :/ Besides the health risks involved, 18.500 isn't a lot of money to do what they are asking you to do. Not to mention the 'bored out of your head' factor.
tuzdayschild 6 years ago
I can't stay in bed 8 hours without getting a headache and feeling horrible.
RitaGG 6 years ago
Why would someone down vote you? I can't sleep for more than 6.5 hours and my back kills me if I'm in bed for more than 7 hours. (and I have gone through several expensive mattresses). The ones leaving moronic replies are trolling children. Ignore them.
Load More Replies... 
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