Got Science?: How the Human Body Adjusts to Space Travel
In How the Human Body Adjusts to Space Travel, host Harith Iskander explains the challenges astronauts face when traveling in space. These challenges include nausea, dizziness, and disorientation due to the lack of gravity. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Got Science?, a science magazine series that explores and explains science in everyday life.
Lesson Express
Q: What is weightlessness, and how does it affect astronauts' bodies in space?
A: Weightlessness means there is no gravity pulling on the body, so astronauts don’t need to use their muscles as much. This can make their muscles weaker over time.
Q: How do astronauts feel when they return to Earth?
A: When astronauts come back to Earth, they feel dizzy and disoriented because their bodies need to readjust to gravity, which they haven’t felt in space.
Q: Why do astronauts need to work hard to hold their heads up after coming back to Earth?
A: Since astronauts haven't needed to use their neck muscles much in space, they have to build their strength again when they return, which can make holding their heads up feel difficult.
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