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By volunteering for a year-long study in space, astronaut Scott Kelly gave up some privacy. During his time aboard the International Space Station (ISS), NASA closely monitored the changes his body underwent and published the findings in a scientific journal. Kelly provided samples of his blood, saliva, and cheek cells, with even his fecal matter being analyzed.
According to PBS, Scott Kelly's fecal analysis showed that his gut microbiome experienced notable, but reversible, changes while in orbit. Fortunately for both Kelly and NASA, no 'alarming or scary' bacteria were found in his gut, and it returned to its usual state within six months after his return to Earth, as noted by geneticist Martha Hotz Vitaterna.
Despite enduring the extreme conditions of space, Vitaterna, a co-author of the study, remarked, 'Scott’s microbiome still resembled Scott’s microbiome, just with a space twist.'
The fecal analysis was just one component of an extensive NASA study recently published in the journal Science, more than three years after Kelly's return. Known as the Twins Study, it compared the results of Kelly's tests with those of his identical twin, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, who stayed on Earth as the control subject.
NASA aimed to better understand the potential hazards astronauts might face on future long-term missions to the Moon and Mars. To gather this data, the agency went to great lengths, even offering $18,500 to individuals willing to stay in bed for two months to simulate the effects of anti-gravity.
This also explains why NASA was willing to send unmanned rockets into space to collect samples of Kelly’s feces. On four occasions aboard the ISS, Kelly used cotton swabs to gather poo particles. The rockets that delivered lab supplies also brought back small tubes containing the swabs, which were frozen until all samples were collected. The process was painstaking, and on one occasion, a SpaceX rocket exploded shortly after launch in 2015.
The study also revealed that Kelly’s telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes, lengthened while he was in space, likely due to regular exercise and a balanced diet, as per NASA. However, after returning to Earth, the telomeres began to shorten and return to their original length. Shorter telomeres are linked to aging and age-related diseases. 'Although average telomere length, global gene expression, and microbiome changes returned to near preflight levels within six months after return to Earth, increased numbers of short telomeres were observed and expression of some genes was still disrupted,' researchers noted.
Researchers emphasize that further studies will be necessary before sending the first human to Mars. Watch NASA's video below to learn more about their findings.
