The rigors of space travel could accelerate changes in the human body usually associated with aging.

According to a new study of human tissues sent into low-Earth orbit, time in space reduces cell production, exacerbates DNA damage, and increases the signs of aging in the telomeres that cap the ends of the chromosomes.

"Space is the ultimate stress test for the human body," says physician Catriona Jamieson of the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.

"These findings are critically important because they show that the stressors of space – like microgravity and cosmic galactic radiation – can accelerate the molecular aging of blood stem cells .

"Understanding these changes not only informs how we protect astronauts during long-duration missions but also helps us mod

See Full Page