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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAstronaut's DNA No Longer Matches His Identical Twin's After Year Spent in Space
http://ktla.com/2018/03/14/astronauts-dna-no-longer-matches-his-identical-twins-after-year-spent-in-space-nasa-finds/Preliminary results from NASA's Twins Study reveal that 7% of astronaut Scott Kelly's genes did not return to normal after his return to Earth two years ago.
The study looks at what happened to Kelly before, during and after he spent one year aboard the International Space Station through an extensive comparison with his identical twin, Mark, who remained on Earth.
NASA has learned that the formerly identical twins are no longer genetically the same.
Science is cool.
Sid
still_one
(92,219 posts)KansasKali
(105 posts)I wonder if anyone has studied the children of astronauts who were conceived after they returned from space? Are their genes different?
GeorgeHayduke
(1,227 posts)The astronaut or the astronauts progeny?
You could measure change in the astronats genetic code, as has been done in this article, but not necessarily of their children. Homologous recombination at conception kind of messes that opportunity up with some other parents DNA.
rurallib
(62,423 posts)gives insights into the rigors of space travel and how it just isn't simple.
Am I wrong to think this could also be tied to understanding evolution? Actually seeing DNA change?
Duppers
(28,125 posts)cab67
(2,993 posts)The amount of difference in this case is striking, but unless the differences get passed on to future generations and spread through the population, it doesnt really mean anything for evolution.
I havent read the paper yet, but my initial guess is that most of the changes to the astronauts DNA are selectively neutral.
bigtree
(85,998 posts)...that may not be associated with space?
They mentioned 'nutrition.' That's something which could have triggered the change here on Earth, something such as a bacterial infection could alter results by these amounts.
getagrip_already
(14,764 posts)so presumably they know when the changes occurred. They likely tested his brother over the same time periods and know the degree of relative change between the samples.
bigtree
(85,998 posts)...is that it's not something that just occurs in space, at least this level of gene change.
Is it 'space' or is it some other organic cause?
Spider Jerusalem
(21,786 posts)Maynar
(769 posts)VOX
(22,976 posts)DNA is getting pretty basic. Messing it up cannot be good.
Brother Buzz
(36,444 posts)forgotmylogin
(7,530 posts)so it will be fascinating to see what happens when that's not the case.
https://www.nasa.gov/hrp/bodyinspace
http://www.iflscience.com/space/five-things-happen-your-body-space/
http://www.cracked.com/article_20580_5-everyday-things-that-go-totally-nuts-in-zero-gravity.html
https://www.livescience.com/33091-slideshow-strange-everyday-things-space.html
Spiders get confused when there is no "down" reference that gravity gives.
LAS14
(13,783 posts)forgotmylogin
(7,530 posts)but it kind of makes sense--if you think of how DNA chain structures are like a ladder that only fits together in certain ways. I can imagine it's possible that removing gravity might cause the chains to pull together randomly or in different ways than they would on Earth.
The metaphor I can come up with is trying to put together an IKEA bookcase in zero-G without the assistance of gravity holding everything in place where you set it down!
I wonder if it is only the DNA in new cells that were created during the year spent on the space station that are different? Over the course of seven years, every cell in your body is replaced, theoretically making you an entirely different person.
calimary
(81,322 posts)Wow - gotta admit, this is worrisome.
mountain grammy
(26,624 posts)Very interesting.
ellie
(6,929 posts)At the same time.
IluvPitties
(3,181 posts)LAS14
(13,783 posts)...change in exactly the same way???? How come????
Nitram
(22,822 posts)Duppers
(28,125 posts)at me but why send people into space, exposing their bodies to certain unavoidable damage, when robots can do everything humans can and at huge substantial savings too.
😌
iluvtennis
(19,863 posts)lame54
(35,294 posts)vicman
(478 posts)if he has any super powers now?